The Cross Keys management have demanded a reaction from their players in Aberavon this evening after a Premiership horror show, writes Chris Kirwan.

They head to the Talbot Athletic Ground (kick-off 7.30pm) on the back of a 23-13 defeat to table-topping Carmarthen Quins. The scoreline may suggest a tight tussle but team manager Mark Prangell says otherwise.

“We were terrible,” he said. “We hadn’t played for three weeks but it was still poor.

“At least we got better after going into half-time 16-3 down, but the game had gone by then.

“It was our mistakes that hurt us and we never recovered from a poor start. The boys were told at training on Tuesday that we have to cut out those individual errors and we want to see a much better performance, this is a chance to turn it around.

“We’ve got a big cup game with Llandovery coming up next week but the league position is still important to us. It will be interesting the see the reaction of our players and a new coaching group to last week.”

The Wizards have won just one of six games since the east and west was united in the Premiership but head into the game on the back of a battle with title-chasing RGC 1404 that the north Walians sneaked 16-12.

“Aberavon are a good side and I don’t think their league position tells the whole story,” said Prangell.

“Our set piece will have to go well and we need to win the collisions. Historically we have had high scoring games and we like playing there.”

Keys’ last league game at Aberavon was two years ago when beaten 30-16.