Cross Keys dominated the opening 40 minutes and in truth should have secured a try scoring bonus point before the half time whistle. A number of chances went begging with only some heroic Cardiff defence keeping the score down.
The home side opened the scoring in the seventh minute through a Danny Hodge try, his quick tap penalty on the five metre line saw him barge over when Cardiff seemed to think Keys would kick at goal. Dean Gunter added the conversion and the longer time went on in the first half, the more it looked like Keys would take the Blue and Blacks to the cleaners but Luke Ford, Jonathan Lewis and Nathan Trowbridge were all tackled by the last man.
Gunter added a penalty on the stroke of the interval before Hodge got his second of the afternoon in stoppage time. Then Jonathan Lewis, an early replacement for the injured Aled James, was the benefactor of a fine timed pass from Trowbridge as he dotted down in the corner. Gunter was unable to add the extras but Keys led 20-0 at the break.
Martyn Fowler must have had some stern words with his Cardiff side at half-time as they emerged rejuvenated after the break.
Joe Griffin got Cardiff’s first points of the afternoon with a penalty from in front of the sticks before winger Steve Cullen crossed for a try in the 55th minute. Cardiff were hungry for more and continued to pile on the pressure, centre Cory Allen crossing the whitewash on the hour.
Luckily enough for Keys, Cardiff wasted a number of opportunities just as Keys had done in the first half. And strangely there were no more scores.
Keys did have a couple of chances to secure a bonus point late in the second half but will be more than happy with the win against one of the league’s form sides.
