CROSS Keys’ slim hopes of finishing in the Premiership top eight were snuffed out at Sardis Road after they came up short against Pontypridd on New Year’s Eve.

The Gwent side will start 2017 in the bottom half of the league after their good run of form came to an abrupt end in front of the S4C television cameras.

It had looked promising for them early on despite Ponty outside-half Ben Jones putting the hosts 3-0 up after five minutes.

But their lead was short-lived after wing Mathew Powell finished superbly for a Keys try when they spread the hosts from left to right in the ninth minute.

The visitors dominated the first quarter and No 10 Josh Prosser made up for his missed conversion with a 14th minute penalty.

The Gwent side continued to press but were guilty of coughing the ball up in promising situations.

They were made to pay when Pontypridd centre Bradley Coombes created a fine try for scrum-half Dane Blacker, Jones getting the extras to regain the lead for his team.

It saw the balance of the game swing in Ponty’s favour as Jones added his second penalty to give his side a 13-8 advantage after 27 minutes.

The hosts went further ahead after Jones was again on target with another shot at goal.

Keys’ problems worsened when centre Leon Andrews was harshly yellow carded after he tapped a Ponty pass backwards rather than forward in a poor call by referee Dan Jones.

Jones’ subsequent fourth penalty made it 19-8 just before half-time.

The visiting team squandered a prime attacking position early in the second half when a lineout went awry.

Again they paid for their profligacy when a quick-thinking Jones took a quick tap penalty to catch a dozing Keys out to score an unconverted try after 48 minutes.

Keys’ misery deepened when a great break by full-back Gary Williams put Blacker in for his second try, Jones’ conversion made it 31-8 to end the game as a contest.

Lively back row forward Rhys Fitzgerald and replacement Phil Williams scored late consolation tries for Keys, replacement James Thomas converting both to put a gloss on things.

Pontypridd: G Williams, L I Williams, B Coombes (D Williams 73), D Lockyer (capt), D Stuckey, B Jones, D Blacker (J Raikes 73), J Popple (S May 61), C Tarrant (A James 51), W Davies-King (M Auger 65), S Moore (J Novell 65), C Dicomidis, J Thomas (L Evans 61), D Davies, O Sheppeard (E Coombes 70).

Pontypridd scorers: Tries – D Blacker (2), B Jones, Conversions – B Jones (2), Penalties – Jones (4).

Cross Keys: J Goodchild (P Williams 62), M Powell, L Andrews, B Nightingale, N Trowbridge, J Prosser (James Thomas 58), O Leonard (J Leadbeater 48), L Garrett (L Smout 65), D Hughes (capt) (E Shipp 65), R Cornock (G Carpenter 48), D Hodge, S Andrews, T Lampard (R Fitzgerald 48), A Powell, I Jones (Joe Thomas 72).

Cross Keys scorers: Tries – M Powell, R Fitzgerald, P Williams, Conversions – J Thomas (2), Penalty – J Prosser.

Referee: Dan Jones (WRU)

Star man: Rhys Fitzgerald