CROSS Keys’ Principality Premiership Tier Two play-off hopes suffered a serious blow after they were well defeated by Cardiff at Pandy Park, writes Iwan Gabe Davies.

The Gwent Valleys side now have to beat Newport at Rodney Parade on Wednesday night to have any hope of making the last four.

Keys, who were smarting from a 59-14 hammering away at Neath at the beginning of April, started poorly and didn’t get much better on a miserable afternoon.

The slick visitors were soon ahead when their hooker and skipper Joe Tomlinson crossed for an unconverted try following a great break by outside-half Jarrod Evans, although the defending left much to be desired.

The capital city side extended their lead to 13 points in as many minutes when Tomlinson crashed over after a driving lineout for his second touchdown, Evans adding the extras.

Keys battled to get their way back in the game and they were unlucky not to score when the ball just beat wing Lloyd Lewis into touch for a breakaway try after fly-half Josh Prosser hacked ahead.

The hosts did get on the scoreboard when Prosser slotted a 36th minute penalty after being off target earlier in the half.

Just before the interval, the dangerous Evans was again the architect as Cardiff scored their third try.

Another lovely break by the No 10 eventually saw centre Will Rees Hole cross for his side’s second converted try to give the sharper and more clinical Blue and Blacks a 19-3 advantage at the end of the first 40 minutes.

Keys gave themselves huge hope when centre Barney Nightingale barged over for a try in the 56th minute after his forwards had battered away at the Cardiff try-line, Prosser’s conversion bringing them back to within nine points.

The visitors made it 22-10 when replacement outside-half Ben Thomas kicked a penalty with just over a quarter of an hour to go.

There was a big blow for Keys when Lewis received what looked like a nasty ankle injury when challenging in the air and had to be replaced.

A long range penalty by Thomas gave the visitors a 15-point cushion.

Cardiff’s bonus point try was scored by blindside flanker Jonathon Edwards as they piled on the agony, the conversion sailing wide.

Thomas’ third penalty was the last act of the game.

Cross Keys: J McCarthy; M Powell, B Nightingale, P Williams, L Lewis (N Trowbridge 66); J Prosser, J Leadbeater; C Hewlett (L Smout 60), D Hughes, R Cornock, D Hodge, T Lampard, J Skinner, S Matthews (capt), I Jones.

Try: B Nightingale; Con: J Prosser; Pen: J Prosser.

Cardiff: J Whittingham; J Beal, O Lane, W Rees Hole, C Gibbon; J Evans (B Thomas 45), M Hale (L Free 66); R Lewis, J Tomlinson (capt), (E Lewis 41), D Lewis (G Nash 78), S Davies, J Murphy, J Edwards, L Crocker, B Thomas.

Tries: J Tomlinson (2), W Rees-Hole, J Edwards; Cons: J Evans (2); Pens: B Thomas (3) Referee: Dai Cambourne (WRU).

Argus star man: Jarrod Evans