After a poor start to the campaign in the second division of the BIG league, Monmouth returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over PILCs last Tuesday and followed that up with a 4-0 home victory against Ponthir House Monday. Apart from the defeat at Clytha on the opening day of the season many of the games have been very close. The difference in points in the home game against Rising Sun Locos was only 5 although we lost 3-1.
One thing to emerge from these early games is the importance to make sure that you do not leave the end in a position where it is possible for your opponents to score heavily with just one well placed boule or a good shot. When you only have two boules left look at the end and think how you can leave your boule in a position that makes it difficult for them to be removed, try to restrict you opponent’s ability to score more than one or two points.
Don’t be fooled into thinking you need to throw all your boules. Take one point rather that give several away with a miss thrown boule. Indeed, in the last game against PILCs our opponents managed to convert a position where they were holding three points into one for us. That 4 point shift was possibly what gave the last game to us and our first victory.
From what I have seen all the pairs have played well this year and with a little confidence I don’t think it will be long before we start to move up the table. The victory last night should already have ensured that we are no longer bottom.