CROSS KEYS booked their place in the National Cup quarter-finals with a comfortable 41-7 victory over Championship side Bedlinog at Pandy Park, writes Paul Hopkins.

Keys made three changes from the impressive first round victory over Pontypridd with Nathan Trowbridge, Corey Hewlett and new signing Luke Dyckhoff taking their place in the starting XV.

The home side had an early chance to take the lead when Leon Andrews kicked deep into space, but Mathew Powell failed to make the most of the chase.

It was Keys who struck first when Trowbridge touched down in the corner following a superb break by Josh Skinner.

The visitors were penalised for being offside at a maul and Josh Prosser kicked to touch.

Powell was stopped a metre short of the line but the Bedlinog pack secured a turnover and were able to clear.

With the penalty count mounting against the visitors, Prosser extended Keys’ lead to 13 points with two successful kicks at goal.

Lewis Barnett then made a half-break through the middle and Dyckhoff drove up to the try line, but the visitors stole possession.

A bone-crunching tackle by Richard Cornock prevented Bedlinog from mounting a dangerous attack and set the tone for a powerful forward display by the home side.

Deep inside first-half injury-time Prosser chose to kick for touch after the visitors’ pack collapsed a scrum.

Hooker Nathan Huish was also sent to the sin-bin, but the home side were unable to break down the Bedlinog defence before the interval.

Keys scored a second try almost immediately after half-time with Andrews powering over after a patient build-up.

Bedlinog were handed a lifeline when lock Damon Pritchard crashed over to score from a lineout and Keys were reduced to 14 men when Adam Powell was yellow-carded for persistent offside.

But it was one-way traffic in the closing stages and quick thinking by Powell saw him charge down a clearance and throw a scoring pass to Barnett for his side’s third try.

Moments later, Barnett raced clear from halfway to score his second try and Powell sealed an emphatic victory for Keys with an injury-time touchdown.

Scorers: Cross Keys – Tries: N Trowbridge, L Andrews, L Barnett (2), M Powell; Cons: J Prosser (2), C Sheppard (3); Pens: J Prosser (2)

Bedlinog – Try: D Pritchard; Con: L Jones

Cross Keys: L Andrews; M Powell, L Barnett, P Williams (B Nightingale 64), N Trowbridge (R Pritchard 78); J Prosser (C Sheppard 68), J Leadbeater; C Hewlett (G Carpenter 58), D Hughes (L Smout 79), R Cornock (S Evans 68), T Lampard, L Dyckhoff (H Reader 54), J Skinner (L Davies 78), S Matthews, A Powell.

Bedlinog: S Farrar-Evans; J Howard, P Veale (N Walsh 39), O Rees (J Powell 68), T Farrar-Evans; L Jones, J Soanes; G Fisher (A Dummett 64), N Huish (J Cleaver 80), C Davies (G Davies 68), D Pritchard, G Williams (R Rees 52), A Harris, R Wilton (J Rees 42) T Oliver (R Thomas 41)

Cross Keys star man: Tom Lampard