CROSS KEYS saw their 100 per cent record in Tier Two of the Principality Premiership come to a shocking end, as they were crushed by Neath during a disastrous afternoon at The Gnoll.

Two tries from Keiran Williams, as well as touchdowns from Max Llewellyn, Aaron Grabham, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Chris Morgans, Gareth Llewellyn and Ed Howley saw the hosts sweep aside a lacklustre Keys side, with the latter also kicking 19 points from the tee.

Keys responded with converted tries from Lloyd Lewis and Josh Skinner, but it was otherwise an afternoon to forget for the visitors, who must now regroup ahead of the visit of Cardiff at the end of the month.

A much-changed line-up struggled to match the youthful effervescence of their hosts, with Neath outside half Luke Price going close with an early drop goal attempt.

Neath’s Leon Ward was then halted centimetres from the line moments later, but the Keys defence was powerless to prevent the hosts taking the lead on 18 minutes, as a well-worked scrum allowed Williams to spin over the line.

Williams’ Wales under-20 team-mate Morgan-Williams was the centre of Neath’s second try three minutes later, piercing the heart of the Keys defence with a powerful run, before laying off to Llewellyn, who touched down.

Keys hit back when substitute Lewis picked out a gap to go over in the corner, with Prosser duly converting, before Howley kept the hosts’ tally ticking over with a penalty just before the break.

Neath remained on top, and earned another touchdown just after the break, with some slick build-up play allowing Grabham to burst through the defence and touch down for another seven points.

Keys were reeling, and a desperate afternoon worsened when Llewellyn broke free of his man to set up Morgan-Williams, who was left with a simple touchdown.

Incredibly, the visitors’ woes were compounded further around 10 minutes later, as Neath added two more converted tries in as many minutes, courtesy of Morgans and second Williams touchdown.

The Gwent side did earn a consolation try through Josh Skinner, but it was mercilessly cancelled out when Llewellyn and Howley both touched down late on, rounding off a miserable afternoon for Keys.

Neath: E Howley, A Grabham, M Llewellyn, K Williams, G Llewellyn, L Price, R Morgan-Williams (C Morgans 63); B Uphill (S Crocker 55), A Morris (R Thomas 55), G James (N White 55), R Jones, J Barley, J Collier (capt), L Ward, C Davies (I Phillips 63) Tries: K Williams 2, M Llewellyn, A Grabham, R Morgan-Williams, C Morgans, G Llewellyn, E Howley; Cons: E Howley 8; Pens: E Howley Cross Keys: J Goodchild (L Lewis 22), M Powell, J Unwin, B Nightingale, N Trowbridge (C Howells 55), J Prosser, R Pritchard; L Smout (D Hughes 40), R Jones (G Carpenter 40), R Cornock (L Garnett 52), T Lampard, S Andrews, R Fitzgerald (J Skinner 15), S Matthews (capt), Ieuan Jones Tries: L Lewis, J Skinner; Con: J Prosser 2 Referee: Elgan Williams (WRU)