CROSS Keys coach Greg Woods has pinpointed his side’s home clash against Welsh Premiership leaders Llandovery as a must-win game on Saturday week.

If they lose that it will see the Pandy Park outfit crash to a fifth straight defeat after Saturday’s reversal at Carmarthen saw them slip to fifth place in the table – nine points adrift of Llandovery.

“It’s a big game for us against Llandovery,” insisted Woods.

“I don’t think our season has started to be honest and we need that week’s break before the Llandovery clash. We are not playing well, but we are getting players back from injury.

“We have just got to knuckle down. We are struggling at the moment to keep boys on the field injury-wise. I think it’s our season for it.

“I said to the team to keep their chins up because the teams above us aren’t winning either. Bedwas and Llandovery drawing above us is a good result for us.”

On Saturday they lost both hookers. Garry Horrigan went off injured and then his replacement Jamie Sollis was knocked out towards the end which saw ten minutes of injury time in the second half.

It was another disappointing result for Keys on the back of losses to Bedwas, Newport and Newcastle, but they had led at half-time 3-0 to a Dorian Jones penalty after a first-half hailstorm had ruined the match as a spectacle.

In the second half Quins dictated proceedings to score three penalties from outside-half James Dixon before a try from wing Jason Harries took Keys out of losing bonus point range.

“I was pleased with the first-half. I thought our defence was very solid – that has been a lot better than it has the last couple of weeks,” said Woods. “And then we started the second half poorly. We made a couple of critical mistakes and then couldn’t get enough territory.

“One penalty, two penalties and then we are chasing the game.

“I was disappointed we conceded the try at the end, but they probably deserved that to be honest.”

Carmarthen Quins: D Daniel; L Williams, A Pickersgill, R James, J Harries; J Dixon, H Rees; G Thomas, R Wilkes (R Guest 60), I Jones (capt), G Evans (A Laxton 60), R Kelly (C Jones 38), H Pugh, L Joseph, J Davies.

Scorers: try – J Harris; pens – J Dixon (3)

Cross Keys: G David; N Williams (R James 54), L Andrews, L Ford, N Trowbridge; D Jones, R Dyer; R Cornock, G Horrigan (J Sollis 64, A Lott 77), M Jones, D Hodge, T Lampard, R Peebles, A Powell, R Nash (capt).

Scorers: pen – D Jones

Referee: Rhys Thomas (Cardiff)

Argus star man: Rob Nash