AFTER crushing Division Two rivals Abertillery Bluebirds 4-2 in the league last week, Monmouth Town failed to repeat their success in the Gwent County Motors Cup on Saturday slipping to a 3-1 defeat.

That was despite a better all-round performance than the earlier win, with the Kingfishers passing and keeping the ball a lot better, but they lacked that creative edge in front of goal.

The first 20 minutes was all one way traffic with the yellows dominating play and looking by far the more threatening sides of the two sides. On 11 minutes, a superb through-ball from the returning Sam Palmer found Neville Harris, but the Abertillery 'keeper was quick off his line to advert the danger.

As the half grew on, it seemed that the Kingfishers were the only side that were going to break the deadlock.

James Hughes went close on his first outing for the first team this season, driving his shot across the keeper only to see it just flash wide of the post.

But the Monmouth defence, seemingly unemployed for much of the first half, were sucker punched on 35 minutes when the experienced full back, Shane Dorrington was outpaced and then tripped the hosts' winger inside the area for a penalty which was converted.

And suddenly Abertillery were two up after a defensive mix up between Ricky Prosser and Charlie Bye just two minutes later gave the home number 10 a chance to shoot and pick out the top corner of Robin Picks goal from 30 yards.

After dominating the half, the game had been turned on his heads and the home side, going in at half time 2-0 up, sensed victory and revenge for their league defeat the previous week.

After some stern words at half-time the Kingfishers returned to the field upbeat, and still had belief that the game was there to be won, and just four minutes into the half and the deficit was reduced by Palmer. Good work out wide by Andrew Rogers and Harris enabled the latter to whip a ball into the box which found Prosser. His attempted shot was blocked but fell to Palmer, who finished with a firm low shot into the bottom corner.

With over 40 minutes remaining the yellows could sense an equaliser and maybe even a winner due to the possession and territory they were gaining.

However, they were let down by some poor finishing and a fine performance by the Blues' keeper, who denied both substitute Andrew Smith and the hard working Matthew Bowen.

Monmouth could sense the goal would not come and were exasperated in injury time when the referee awarded a second penalty in injury time, was struck against the bar but slotted home on the rebound.

Monmouth Town: Pick, Dorrington, Kennedy, Hughes, Bye (Smith), Prosser, Harris, Wookey, Bowen, Rogers, Palmer.