CROSS Keys have won their fair share of matches down the years when the odds were stacked against them – and they will need to upset the apple cart again tonight in order to boost the club’s chances of staying in the Principality Premiership.

Two points from the last four league games sees Keys sitting 14th in the table, level with Bridgend, who have two fixtures in hand, and one point behind Llanelli.

Of their eight remaining Premiership matches this season, only one, away to Llanelli on March 23, is against a fellow relegation contender.

This evening, Morgan Stoddart’s troops welcome title chasers Pontypridd to Pandy Park (kick-off 7.15pm) on the back of last Saturday’s 20-15 reverse at the hands of Gwent rivals Bedwas.

Pontypridd, like Keys, are looking to bounce back after a defeat following their 17-16 loss to Ebbw Vale at Eugene Cross Park in front of the BBC television cameras.

Tonight’s encounter will bring back some unhappy memories for Keys players and fans, as it was in the reverse fixture at Sardis Road last October that Stoddart saw his charges lose 73-12.

That thrashing came two-thirds of the way through a nine-match winless run for Keys, a sequence of results that saw them become rooted in a relegation battle.

And while they have home advantage this time around, Pontypridd go into the clash as favourites to win and apply pressure to the top two of Merthyr and Cardiff.

Meanwhile, Bargoed’s plight looks a lost one as they lie in 15th place on 18 points with nine matches left.

The Bulls are on a 13-game losing streak and probably need a minor miracle to extricate themselves from the lower reaches of the table.

They host RGC 1404 tonight (kick-off 7.15pm) at Bargoed Park, while Bridgend entertain Carmarthen Athletic, Aberavon go to Cardiff and Swansea visit Llandovery.