Match Report

Cross Keys 19 - Neath 19

Pandy Pank, Mon 27th Apr 09 KO: 19:15

By TONY POOLE
At Pandy Park

NEATH'S form in the Welsh Premiership at Cross Keys showed an improvement ahead of the Swalec Cup final with Llanelli on Saturday week.
The Blacks, who suffered a record 36-8 league defeat at Swansea last Friday, failed to scale the heights but gained a deserved draw.
The Pandy Park clash launched a hectic closure with four games in the space of 12 days.
Saturday's dress rehearsal at Llanelli in the league is followed by a Bank Holiday Monday showdown with Llandovery at The Gnoll.
The stalemate allowed Neath to maintain an unbeaten Pandy Park record dating back to the 14-9 loss of 1976/77 in the second round of the cup.
Neath, well served by Wales U20 scrum-half Tavis Knoyle, made five changes from the Swansea defeat with centre Dafydd Lockyer given a run out on the wing.
The Blacks opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a Matty James penalty while Keys responded five minutes later.
Neath scrum-half Tavis Knoyle got into an altercation with opposite number Owen Jones, leading to a penalty being reversed.
Keys whipped the ball across the back line, and an overlap was created for wing Nathan Trowbridge to touchdown.
But in the 16th minute Keys had flanker Geraint Gladwyn binned and the Blacks used the extra man to drive Gerwyn Price over for a try against his former club.
Fly-half Ryan James then saw yellow in the 21st minute, Keys going down to 13 men, but it wasn't until Gladwyn returned that Neath increased the lead.
A break from fly-half Matty James was taken on by lock Haydn Pugh, and wing Kevin James sprinted 40 metres for another unconverted try.
However, it was the turn of the Blacks to go down to 14 men in the 39th minute with the yellow carding of prop Craig Mitchell.
Full-back James Leadbetter missed a second penalty, and Neath led 13-5 at the turnaround.
But Leadbetter was on target with a simple penalty in the 45th minute, and they levelled three minutes on.
A strike against the head led to No 8 Jevon Groves kicking ahead, and he won the foot chase to claim a try that went unconverted.
Neath hit back with a James penalty in the 50th minute to lead 16-13, but full-back Leadbetter restored parity five minutes later with another penalty.
Neath went back in front in the 63rd minute when fly-half James completed a penalty hat-trick, and soon after he went close to scoring a try.
But it was back to square one in the 70th minute when full-back Leadbetter also nailed a third penalty - and James was wayward six minutes on.
Full-back Leadbetter went for glory in the 79th minute, but a drop-goal attempt drifted well wide, but the two-point return should keep Keys in the division.

Match stats

Cross Keys 19
Tries: N. Trowbridge, J. Groves; Pens: J. Leadbetter (3)

J. Leadbetter; N. Trowbridge, P. Williams, G. Maule, W. Johnstone (repl M. Pewtner 60); R. James, O. Jones; J. Price (repl C. Gould 50), L. Burns (capt), N. Buck, A. Sweet (repl T. Lampard 60), M. Curtis, G. Gladwyn, J. Groves, R. Peebles

Neath 19
Tries: G. Price, K. James; Pens: M. James (3)

G. King; K. James, L. Ford (repl W. Mitchell 77), S. Thomas, D. Lockyer; M. James (repl H. Thomas 77), T. Knoyle; M. Jones, G. Price, C. Mitchell (temp repl N. Downs 27-30, 56), N. Edwards, H. Pugh, L. Evans, L. Beach (capt), C. Price (temp repl N. Downs 41-48, G. Gravell 66)

Yellow cards: G. Gladwyn (15 mins), R. James 21 (both Cross Keys), C. Mitchell (Neath) 39

Referee: Simon Harris (Port Talbot)

Neath star choice: Tavis Knoyle