CROSS Keys head coach Greg Woods expects Llanelli to be a tougher nut to crack when they head to Parc y Scarlets for the second time this year, writes Chris Kirwan.

The men from Pandy Park triumphed at Llanelli in round one of the Swalec Cup in January, crossing for eight tries in a 52-24 drubbing.

Keys make a swift return on Friday evening (kick-off 7.30pm) as they attempt to maintain their impressive push for the Principality Premiership playoffs.

They have won five of their last six games to climb to fourth in the table, five points back on third-placed Carmarthen Quins with two games in hand.

“We are on a good run that we want to keep going but I am sure that Llanelli will be a bit more focused after we rattled 50 into them in the cup,” said Woods.

“They will be a different side but we have got a pretty good recent record there and when we have had success it has come from controlling the pace of the game, because you can easily come a cropper if it gets loose against Llanelli.

“We want to be in the playoffs and if we win this weekend we will really be in with a good shout.”

Keys head into the game on the back of a 47-14 thumping of RGC 1404 in Colwyn Bay, an enjoyable triumph against a Swalec Championship side that were confident of a Swalec Cup upset.

The management team have rotated their team in recent weeks without any drop-off, presenting them with some welcome quandaries.

“It was potentially a tricky tie up at RGC and to come away with a comfortable win was really pleasing, we just need to keep it going now,” said Woods.

“We’ve got some massive selection headaches at the moment, especially up front. The boys are all really challenging for places and that’s where you need to be for the run-in.”

Llanelli have won their last two – against the bottom two of Neath and Newport – and are still in the mix for the playoffs themselves with five of their seven remaining fixtures at Parc y Scarlets.