THERE was more disappointment for Cross Keys after they were left with two bonus points when they should have picked up five after going down to Cardiff.

The Gwent Valleys side, who made the Principality Premiership play-offs last season, are still without a win after two successive defeats. at Pandy Park.

It took them a while to get going but it looked like they were going to take the spoils after their consistently outstanding openside flanker Scott Matthews crashed over for his third try of the afternoon from the home side's seemingly irresistible lineout.

But a late converted try by the Blue and Blacks spoilt the party for Greg Woods' men.
They threw everything at the visitors, reduced to 14 men by a yellow card, in the closing stages but to no avail.

Lock Simon Williams looked to have saved them at the death when he crossed the try line but referee Gwyn Morris ruled out a score that would have brought the house down.

Cardiff took the lead against the run of play when wing Chris Knight sprinted home from 70 metres with a converted try after 13 minutes after he intercepted a pass from what was looking like a promising attack by the hosts.

Keys hit back with a cracking touchdown scored by Elliott Jones after fellow wing Polu Uhi and centre Leon Andrews combined brilliantly to tear a huge hole in the capital city side's defence.
Keys suffered a blow in the 25th minute when their Wales international scrum half Richie Rees had to leave the field with a leg injury.

But it was the Blue and Blacks who extended their lead when their openside flanker Jonathon Edwards crashed over from a lineout for a try which went unconverted for a 14-6 advantage after 31 minutes.

But the home side hit back almost immediately when they scored a similar unconverted try of their own through their No 7 Matthews.

A scrappy first half ended with the visitors leading 14-12.

With both sides struggling to win their own lineouts, a frustrating game up to then did get much better in the second half.

Cardiff went 22-12 up when second row James Murphy crossed under the posts for a neat try after a nice pop up pass by back row forward Macualey Cook, No 10 James Thomas adding the extras.

The home side nearly hit back straight away, but Matthews knocked the ball on as he dived for the try line after Keys battered their opponents' line.

A big positive for the hosts though was their dominant scrum and they used it to peg Cardiff back deep in their own half.

And it was from a driving lineout that Keys got themselves back in it early in last quarter when Matthews crossed for his two other tries, the last one converted by repalcement outside half Josh Prosser.

A sparkling try by centre Will Rees-Hole after excellent work by his midfield partner Jack Phillips, saw the visitors regain the lead, Thomas nailing the tricky conversion, the Blue and Blacks also grabbing a bonus point.

Rees-Hole went from hero to villain after he was yellow carded for the last ten minutes.
Keys had great chances to steal the game at the death, but it just wasn't their day.

Cross Keys: Geraint Rhys Jones (Owen Howe 65), Elliott Jones, Leon Andrews (capt), Phil Williams, Polu Uhi, Ethan Davies (Josh Prosser 51), Richie Rees (James Leadbeater 25), Gary Carpenter (Luke Garrett 51), Darren Hughes, Anthony Lott (Leon Brown 59), Danny Hodge, Simon Williams, Ieuan Jones, Scott Matthews, Adam Powell

Replacements: Ellis Shipp, Scott Andrews, Tom Lampard.

Tries: Elliott Jones (20), Matthews (37) (62) (65), Conversion: Prosser (65).

Cardiff: Harry Davies, Ceri Young, Will Rees Hole, Jack Phillips, Chris Knight, James Thomas, Mike Hale (Morgan Siwenski 68), Lewis Smout (Joe Tomlinson 60), Marc Breeze (Callum Lewis, Joe Jones, James Murphy, Miles Normandale, Macualey Cook, Jonathon Edwards (capt), Ben Roach (Ben Thomas 41).
Replacements: Aled Rees, Chris Williams, Callum Hall, Ellis Wyn Benham.

Tries: Knight (13), Edwards (31), Murphy (50), Rees-Hole (71), Conversions: Thomas (13) (50) (71).
 
Referee: Gwyn Morris (WRU)

Argus star man: Scott Matthews