NEWPORT'S chances of retaining their Welsh Premier Division title look extremely thin after Cross Keys decisively secured their first league win over them, at Pandy Park on Saturday.

Newport were outmanoeuvred and outfought by a Keys side that to a man showed a tremendous will to win.

Maybe they felt they had something to prove with so many former Keys players in Newport's ranks under the command of former Keys general David Rees.

Maybe they felt added determination with Newport including Welsh squad lock Luke Charteris against a gentleman's agreement not to include Dragons in Gwent derbies.

Or maybe they simply believed themselves a better side and wanted to prove it - which they did.

A rusty Charteris did nothing to strengthen a Newport side that has so far palpably failed to show the dynamism of last season.

Keys had their measure up front, where former Newport loose head Ian George proved a point with a fiery display in a tight front-row unit and where Keys varied their lineout options well to gain parity with opponents strong in that department.

In skipper Ty Morris, with a mighty tackle rate and some fearsome hits, and number eight Rhys Williams, whose great strength both halted opponents and ripped away ball, they had two tremendous back-row men.

And in lock Will Thomas, a superb tackler and ball-handler as well as an intelligent general, they had for me the best player on the field.

Behind the scrum half-backs Gareth Betts and Scott Mitchell controlled things well, while centres Gareth Turner and Rhodri Williams were heads and shoulders above their opposite numbers.

Newport did much better when lock Neil Edwards and hooker Kieran Crawford went on as 48th-minute replacements, as their lineout and scrum work immediately improved and they showed a lot more passion.

But by then they were 25-13 down, and even though they dominated the final quarter they never looked like breaking through a superb defence.

Newport outside-half Dan Griffiths looks a pale shadow of last season, while centres Richard Payne and Stephen Ireland, not for the first time, looked inadequate. Surely Newport must think about moving wing Gareth Chapman into midfield.

The result was that Newport's biggest threat once again came from driven lineouts, this facet bringing them both their tries, though Keys even matched them in this department.

The difference was that Keys, though also scoring a try this way, also scored three others with some super running, handling and support play and had full back Darren Miles, otherwise excellent, not missed three kickable penalties and conversion, Newport would have suffered a bigger hiding.

After Newport prop Sven Cronk had been driven over for a converted fourth-minute try, Keys assumed control, though penalties by Miles and Griffiths left Newport 10-6 ahead until the 26th minute, when Rhys Williams was driven over.

It was 13-13 into first-half injury time, though Keys were by now well on top, when a superbly delayed pass by Rhodri Williams put Turner through on a clean break, and his excellent overhead inside pass put wing David Price in for a converted try.

Early in the second half Rhodri Williams powered down the left flank, and when held a few yards short Thomas thrust to set up a ruck from which Miles put Turner over with a lovely inside pass.

Replacement Edwards then won a lineout and led a drive which put Crawford across, and a Newport revival briefly threatened.

But it was soon killed off when a series of rucks and quick ball enabled Betts and Turner to handle swiftly to put young right wing Nathan Williams over for his fifth try of the season, Miles converting from the touchline.

It was then all change on both sides as tiredness and minor knocks took their toll, with Keys comfortably holding on for their biggest score against Newport.

Cross Keys: D Miles, N Williams, G Turner, R Williams (D Dark 78min), D Price, S Mitchell, G Betts (T Mahoney 66min), I George (J Price 60min), P Maxwell, C Gould, M Curtis, W Thomas, B Watkins (D Hudd 60min), T Morris, R Williams. Scorers: tries: R Williams, D Price, G Turner, N Williams; conversions: Miles (three); penalties: Miles (two).

Newport: R Williams, G Chapman, R Payne, S Ireland, W Kershaw-Naylor (A McLaughlan 48min), D Griffiths, J Ireland (T Walsh 71min), I Evans (G Mason 68min), A Brown (K Crawford 48min), S Cronk (G Robinson 60min), D Davies (M Veater 60min), L Charteris (N Edwards 48min), N Kelly, P Williams, R Jones. Scorers: tries: Cronk, Crawford; conversions: Griffiths (two); penalties: Griffiths (two).