AFTER giving a sniff to the teams around them with a shock home defeat, Newport head to Cross Keys on Saturday afternoon chasing a win that would revitalise their bid for the Principality Premiership play-offs.

The Black and Ambers sit in the third and final play-off berth and still have their destiny in their own hands with just three fixtures remaining.

But they make the short trip to Pandy Park on the back of a 36-30 defeat at Llandovery and a shock 26-22 loss to Carmarthen Quins at Rodney Parade in midweek.

A late charge at Church Bank earned a pair of bonus points and they sneaked above the Drovers thanks to the consolation courtesy of wing Elliot Frewen's super score with the final play on Tuesday evening.

The Black and Ambers would have gone to the top of the table had they triumphed against the Quins but now they need to get at least one away win against fellow title hopefuls Keys and Pontypridd while ensuring they don't slip against Llanelli on final weekend.

Newport, who will have enjoyed a fine season regardless of the ending after finishing bottom in 2014/15, don't have time for navel-gazing.

"We've opened the door to the sides around us," said head coach Craig Warlow. "Everything that we have relied on to get us to this position was poor against Carmarthen Quins.

"But we can't dwell on things and have got to get back in a competitive situation. Cross Keys away is definitely that.

"They beat Ebbw Vale to get right back in the mix and they will be cock-a-hoop after that. Every game has been getting bigger over the past few weeks and this will be massive. We have to bring our 'A' game.

"Keys will be fired up but so will we and I'm just looking forward to seeing what our boys are made of.

"In some ways it's the perfect game because we didn't have any intent against Carmarthen and we didn't have the physicality that we will need at Keys. We need to flick the mental switch."

Newport triumphed 14-6 when the sides met at Rodney Parade last month while home victories were traded in the Foster's Challenge Cup development competition.