CROSS Keys and Bedwas aim to keep alive their hopes of joining the battle for the Principality Premiership playoffs when they meet at Bridge Field this weekend.

The Gwent pair are still in touch with the tussle for the top three but they don't have much margin for error.

Champions Pontypridd and in-form Ebbw Vale look likely to qualify, leaving Carmarthen Quins, Cardiff, Llanelli, Keys and Bedwas scrapping for one spot.

Sixth-placed Keys crucially took the spoils at the death 17-13 against strugglers Aberavon last weekend thanks to James Cordy-Redden's try.

"We had to dig deep and then a bit more," said head coach Greg Woods, whose side are 10 points back on the third-placed Quins with two games in hand.

"It was very similar to our British and Irish Cup win in Bedford earlier this season with us going 19 phases and the length of the pitch. It was a monumental effort.

"We've got two huge games now with Bedwas and then Cardiff (at home). We've enjoyed three wins on the spin but need to start putting 80-minute performances together.

"Bedwas thoroughly deserved to beat us at Pandy Park earlier this season and we know it will be tough, especially up front."

Bedwas are also 10 points back and could easily have been in stronger position in a frustrating campaign.

Six of their seven league defeats have been by under a score but last weekend they changed the record with an impressive 42-37 win against Llanelli at Parc y Scarlets.

"I was getting a bit frustrated with 'so near yet so far' and it was nice to have a different story by winning a tight one," said head coach Steve Law.

"To score six tries against a tidy Llanelli side shows that our game has evolved but it will be a different test this weekend.

"You can rip up the form book for derbies and it's always physical against Keys with a lot of emotion involved.

"We know what to expect and I'd imagine it will be a tight affair between two sides that are close to each other in the league."

Dragons wing Ashton Hewitt scored a try against Llanelli but the 20-year-old, who usually plays for Newport in the Premiership, is not with Bedwas this weekend.