CROSS KEYS TAKE A BIG STEP TOWARDS SAFETY
CROSS Keys eased fears of back-to-back relegations as they moved 14 points clear of the drop zone in the Specsavers National Championship after beating Beddau 44-7.
First half tries from Joe Thomas and Rhys Meredith set them on their way and five more followed after the break from Gwion Jones, Curtis Povey, Chris Johnsey, Thomas again and Keegan Bale.
Three conversions and a penalty from Loui O’Brien completed a third win on the bounce – and a fourth win from five – for Morgan Stoddart’s men.
It was a result that took them above Ystrad Rhondda and into ninth.
Hywel Chatham converted Adam Ashford’s first half score for the visitors, who only trailed 15-7 at the turnaround, but that was as good as it got.
This was a sixth reverse on the spin for fourth bottom Beddau and leaves them 11 points from safety.
Meanwhile at the ‘ other’ Pandy Park, Glynneath edged closer to the summit in One West Central after a 25-10 triumph at bottom club Tondu.
Owen Nesbitt, Rhodri Jones and Alex Burton grabbed the Glynneath tries while Dylan Francis added two conversions and two penalties to seal a seventh straight league win.
Glynneath, in third, are four points back on Bonymaen with a game in hand while they have three games in hand on joint leaders Dunvant.
Jonathan Penpraze and John-Paul Budd went over for Tondu but could not prevent them from an eighth loss on the bounce.
Elsewhere, Aberdare made it 12 wins from 12 in Two East Central after coming from 11-10 down at the break to run out eventual 17-11 victors at Llantwit Fardre.
Dafydd Thomas’ first half brace was followed by a Daniel Lewis try in the second half, converted by Matthew Nuthall.
Second placed Aberdare are now two points behind leaders Cilfynydd but with three games in hand.
Mold won 18-7 at Abergele in Two North while, in Three East Central B, leaders Llantwit Major returned to winning ways as they saw off Treherbert 26-15.
Rob Carter, Rory Budina and Geraint David were all among the scorers as Llantwit bounced back from their first defeat of the campaign at
Llandaff.
In the same division Cefn Coed got the better of Gwernyfed 18-10.
Abercarn closed the gap on Three East A leaders Usk to 10 points with a 31-7 home victory over Machen.