Neath 15 Cross Keys 10

CROSS Keys tonight just missed out on gaining a rare win over Neath at The Gnoll to replace the Blacks at the top.

Keys, who had beaten Neath in the British & Irish Cup only to lose the league rematch, had first use of a strengthening wind, and soon pressed.

However, they fell behind to a 12th-minute penalty from Dai Langdon, during a rare Neath raid.

However, Keys eventually turned pressure into points in the 25th minute when scrum-half Owen Jones claimed a close-range try on the end of a tap-and-go.

Fly-half converted but during the remainder of the half he only landed one of four penalties, Keys leading 10-3 at the changeover.

Back came Neath via a 42nd-minute Langdon penalty, and worse followed for Keys when they had captain and flanker Rob Nash binned in the 51st minute.

Fly-half Langdon landed the ensuing penalty, reducing arrears to 10-9, as the Blacks began to pose a threat.

Though Langdon failed with a 63rd-minute penalty, he soon atoned in nailing a drop-goal to give Neath back the lead.

In the 76th minute, Langdon delivered a fourth penalty but during stoppage time Keys almost mustered an equalising score.

But lock Dan Hodge was held up just over the try-line, leaving Keys with just a solitary Gnoll win in the last 49 years.

Neath scorers: Pens: D Langdon (4); Drop-goal: D Langdon

Cross Keys scorers: Try – O Jones; Con: D Gunter; Pen: D Gunter