TALISMAN Scott Matthews returns from four months out with an ankle injury to boost Cross Keys in their WRU National Cup clash at Glynneath.

The combative flanker has been missing since the start of October, an absence that contributed to the Pandy Park side missing out on Tier One of the Principality Premiership, is named among the replacements for today’s clash out west.

Newport became the first team to win their way through to round two by beating Swansea at Rodney Parade in midweek and Keys have picked a strong team to avoid a banana skin and join their Gwent foes in the hat.

Keys are skippered by hooker Darren Hughes and feature six players from their 2012 triumph at the Millennium Stadium – full-back Leon Andrews, centre Phil Williams, wing Nathan Trowbridge, locks Dan Hodge and Tom Lampard and prop Richard Cornock.

Glynneath sit eighth in the WRU Championship, so Greg Woods’ side should come out on top but it is harder to call at Parc y Scarlets.

Runaway Championship leaders Pontypool head to Llanelli (kick-off 3pm, live on S4C) with a perfect league record and will be keen to prove a point given that promotion to the Principality Premiership is not possible until 2020.

Leighton Jones’ side has plenty of experience in the shape of centre Sione Tu’ipulotu, fly-half Matthew Jones, prop Aaron Coundley and flanker Rob Nash, who captained Keys to their 2012 triumph.

Pooler have played Llanelli 10 times in the cup but are yet to triumph against the west Walians.

Ebbw Vale will look to avoid a slip-up when hosting Skewen at Eugene Cross Park while Bedwas should keep challenging on three fronts by overcoming Glamorgan Wanderers at Bridge Field.

Steve Law’s men have also learned that their semi-final opponents in the Foster’s Challenge Cup will be Bridgend at Cross Keys’ Pandy Park on Wednesday March 15.

Bargoed are hunting a fourth win on the spin when they head to last year’s Division One East champions Bedlinog.

The Bulls have enjoyed a morale-boosting streak that has seen them beat Newport in the league and at both Pontypridd and Ebbw Vale in the Challenge Cup.

Newbridge have a daunting task away to Premiership title contenders Merthyr. The Ironmen won both games on their way to the Championship title last season, 49-0 at the Wern and 94-5 in Gwent at the end of the campaign.

Cross Keys (at Glynneath): L Andrews, M Powell, L Barnett, P Williams, N Trowbridge, J Prosser, J Leadbeater, L Smout, D Hughes (captain), R Cornock, D Hodge, S Andrews, A Powell, R Fitzgerald, I Jones. Replacements: R Jones, G Price-Jones, G Carpenter, T Lampard, S Matthews, B Nightingale, R Pritchard, J Unwin.

Bedwas (v Glamorgan Wanderers): A Bramwell, M John, A Williams, M Callow, A Evans, R Powell, N Griffiths (captain), D Preece, A Rees, M Pettit, R Verley, J Davies, J Richards, G Lee, A Waite. Replacements: B Toms, R Hutcherson, C Budgen, T Bell, G Edmunds, T Rowlands, J Dixon, P Lewis

Pontypool (at Llanelli): K Meek, M Thorley, D Robinson, S Tu’ipulotu, R Usher, M Jones, A Quick, A Coundley, B Parry, O Drake, R East, G Rusby-Davies, J Williams, R Nash, B Sparks. 16. Jamie Jeune, 17. Alex Watkins, 18. Tom Hancock, 19. Rhys Dyer, 20. Josh Hurley, 21. A N Other, 22. A N Other, 24. Ryan Harford.

Bargoed (at Bedlinog): J Hallett, D Dyer, D Humphries, P Price, D Evans, J Mogg, J Pizey, R Morgan, L Meades (captain), K Brown, L Blacker, L Weyman, A Coupe, A Herbert, R Coombs. Replacements: J Williams, L Lippiett, A Gardner-Key, G Rogers, F Jacas, G Callow, L Prothero, C Jones

Round one fixtures: Aberavon v Llandovery, Bedlinog v Bargoed, Bedwas v Glamorgan Wanderers, Cardiff Met v Pontypridd, Cardiff v Tata Steel, Carmarthen Quins v Newcastle Emlyn, Ebbw Vale v Skewen, Glynneath v Cross Keys, Llanelli v Pontypool (3pm), Merthyr v Newbridge, RGC 1404 v Dunvant

Result: Newport 21 Swansea 18

Byes: Beddau, Bridgend, Narberth, Neath