CROSS Keys earned sweet revenge against Cardiff to stretch their unbeaten run to eight games and climb to second in the Principality Premiership.

It has been a super start to the season for the men from Pandy Park but a week two home loss to the Blue and Blacks, when they dominated possession and territory, was nagging away at the title hopefuls.

But they scratched that itch with an impressive five-try display at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park to move level on points with leaders and champions Pontypridd.

Keys made a disastrous start with a number of errors even before home centre Luke Ford, formerly of Pandy Park, exposed some weak defending to go over for a third minute try and an 8-0 lead.

Back came the visitors and, after a superb scrum against the head earned prime attacking position, wing Nathan Trowbridge was put over down the left for a score after nine minutes that Ethan Davies majestically converted.

The next 10 minutes were spent entirely in Keys territory but the defence held firm with flanker Scott Matthews to the fore.

Both sides wasted opportunities from driving lineouts – the dominant attacking weapon in the Premiership thanks to the experimental scoring system – but the visitors struck five minutes before the break while Cardiff lock James Murphy was in the sin bin for a high tackle.

A glorious break by fly-half Josh Prosser was ended just shy of the line but wing Polu Uhi was on hand to power over from the resulting ruck, Davies making it 16-8.

It was a short-lived lead – some more sloppy defence allowed scrum-half Chris Williams to put inside centre Nick Griffiths over for a leveller with the final play of the half.

However, Keys got their noses back in front with a superb eight-pointer just two minutes after the resumption when 17-year-old Dragons academy scrum-half Owain Leonard, fresh off the bench as a blood replacement, scored a cracking individual score from a scrum on halfway.

He was soon back with the subs, earning a pat on the back from a beaming director of rugby Jonathan Westwood.

Keys were on the front foot and got a deserved bonus-point score approaching the hour when the impressive Matthews powered over from close range, Davies continuing his imperious display from the tee to make it 32-16.

However, Cardiff struck back on 68 minutes when Ford went over for his second with Thomas' kick putting them a score away at 32-24.

Davies was wide with an ambitious long-range penalty effort with nine minutes left but the win was secured by a 75th-minute penalty try.

Cardiff scorers: tries – L Ford (2), N Griffiths; conversions – J Thomas (3)

Cross Keys scorers: tries – N Trowbridge, P Uhi, O Leonard, S Matthews, penalty try; conversions – E Davies (4)

Argus star man: Scott Matthews