CROSS Keys gave their Premiership ambitions a welcome boost after they downed high flying league new boys RGC 1404 in a highly entertaining thriller.

The Gwent Valleys side have had a mixed season so far but built on last week’s hard-earned victory over Bargoed.

The North Walians, on their first visit to Pandy Park, made a great start and showed attacking intent from the off, outside-half Jacob Botica tearing through the home defence after just eight minutes before converting to give his side a 7-0 lead.

Keys, who were giving RGC serious problems in the scrum, had a good period of pressure and were rewarded when their fly-half Josh Prosser knocked over a penalty after 15 minutes.

A scrum penalty gave Keys the opportunity of applying more pressure on the Colwyn Bay-based side.

And they stretched their opponents’ pack to the limit, before Adam Powell, playing in an unfamiliar openside flanker role, powered over after some stout defending finally cracked as Keys first lost the ball from a scrum before regaining it and going through multiple short burst phases.

Prosser converted as Keys took a deserved 10-7 lead after 26 minutes.

Keys should have extended their advantage just before the interval when they again hammered away at the RGC try-line, but referee Gwyn Morris penalised them for holding on just inches short.

They were not to be denied however after a cruel bounce for the visitors, a lucky one for the hosts, saw Tom Lampard, who like every good back row forward should, be where the ball was and gleefully gather and romp home. Prosser’s conversion made it 17-7 and the half-time whistle soon blew.

It was the visiting team who started the better in the second half and their cause was helped when Powell was yellow carded for not rolling away at the breakdown before Botica nailed the penalty to reduce the arrears to just seven points with half an hour to go.

Despite being down to 14 men, it was Keys who looked like scoring next and would have had not the ball been spilled with the line at their mercy after full-back Leon Andrews had started off the move with a powerful run.

The sin binning did little to hurt Keys as they pegged RGC back in their own half.

By the time Powell came back they had only shipped three points.

But the North Wales side started to get the upper hand and put the hosts under pressure in the final quarter.

They seriously threatened to claw their way back and got the try they deserved when a well-taken, touchdown was scored by wing Aron Evans with five minutes to go.

But a superb finish by centre Barney Nightingale near the death and Prosser’s superb touchline conversion restored Keys’ seven-point lead.

There was still time for RGC to attack, but Keys held on.

Cross Keys scorers: Tries –, Adam Powell 26, Tom Lampard 38, Barney Nightingale 78, Conversions – Josh Prosser 26, 38, 78, Penalties – Prosser 15,

RGC 1404 scorers: Tries – Jacob Botica 8, Aron Evans 75, Conversions – Botica 8 , 75, Penalties – Botica 50