Keys’ victory maintains unbeaten start to 2018

SWANSEA..........................23 CROSS KEYS......................30

CROSS KEYS’ unbeaten start to 2018 continued with a thrilling victory over in-form Swansea.

When Jon Fox dropped a high ball from the kick-off, Josh Prosser kicked to the corner and Scott Andrews collected the lineout, but Tom Sloane disrupted the attack with a failed interception.

A patient build-up and sustained pressure by the Keys pack resulted in a try for Richard Cornock. Josh Prosser missed the relatively simple conversion.

A powerful burst by Jarryd Sage earned his side a penalty when the Swansea pack dived off their feet into a ruck. Prosser kicked the three-pointer.

A powerful scrum by the home pack just before half-time earned them a penalty, which Owen Howe converted.

From the restart a barnstorming run by Tom Lampard caught the Whites’ defence cold as Keys swept the ball out wide for Josh Skinner to score in the corner. Prosser converted.

The gap was reduced to nine points with a Howe penalty goal after the Keys’ defence killed the ball under the posts.

Prosser turned down a kickable penalty, instead opting to chip to the corner. It proved the right decision as Darren Hughes charged over to score in the corner.

Skinner grabbed his second try and a bonus point for the visitors with an opportunistic chip and chase from a Swansea error. Prosser converted.

A dangerous tackle by Luke Garrett saw him promptly sent to the sin-bin. The yellow card proved very costly as Josh Guy dived over to score from the next play.

And the home side were right back in contention when a horrendous mistake by the Keys’ defence let in Richard Fussell for a try under the posts. Gareth Walters converted.

Walters kicked a penalty goal to cut the gap to just four points inside the final 10 minutes. Then a powerful run by Andrews forced James Davies well offside and he was given a yellow card. Prosser kicked the three-pointer.

Swansea had one last attack and a swinging arm by Lewis Barnett reduced his side to 14 men for the remaining seconds.