CROSS Keys chief Morgan Stoddart says he will be giving youth a chance at Tata Steel tomorrow (kick-off 2.30pm) following injuries to a handful of his experienced starters.

Stoddart’s biggest headache is in the pack, with Scott Andrews, Harvey Reader, Gwion Jones, Spencer Gibson and Richard Cornock all unavailable for the Championship fixture.

Keys suffered a late defeat to Narberth last Saturday as the Gwent outfit played its first match since Storm Dennis left Pandy Park under water a week previously.

The clean-up operation continues at Keys HQ, with donations to the club’s crowdfunding campaign up to £3,500, a sum boosted by a bucket collection at the game in Pembrokeshire.

Keys’ next task is beating a team fighting for their lives near the bottom of the table – only Ystalyfera are below Tata Steel in the Championship standings.

Stoddart’s charges, who edged the reverse fixture last October, are four places and 19 points better off than tomorrow’s hosts.

Keys have a 15-point cushion over Beddau, the side in the fourth and last relegation place, with 10 matches to go.

And while they go to Port Talbot comfortably clear of danger, Stoddart will want to make sure safety is secured as soon as possible.

But he knows it won’t be easy this weekend, especially with the injuries that have hit his squad.

However, despite being without some key figures, Stoddart sees it as a chance for others to step up to the plate and show they can perform from the start rather than coming off the bench.

“We’ve got quite a few injuries for this weekend,” he said. “It’s going to be a difficult game with them fighting for points, and we have to try and pull away from them.

“It’s a big game for us, and a big game for three or four of the younger players who will be starting.

“Scott Andrews, Harvey Reader, Gwion Jones, Spencer Gibson and Richard Cornock are out, so that’s five of our starters in the pack who won’t be available.

“The guys coming in are a bit inexperienced, but they’ve done well throughout the season when coming off the bench. But it’s up to them now to show they can do it from the start.”

Reflecting on the last-gasp 20-19 loss to Narberth, Stoddart added: “We should have won. In all fairness, we made too many errors and probably left 25 points out there.

“We lost it on the last play of the match. We made an error a couple of metres from their line, and with the wind at their backs, they kicked the ball 80 metres down the field. We had a lineout with 30 seconds left and the referee gave them a penalty which they slotted – it was absolutely gutting.

“But it was nice to get back out there and concentrate on playing rather than all the issues around the club.

“The club is starting to get everything back together, they’ve got the bar opened up, and they are trying to get the pitch ready for the home game at the end of March.”

Bedwas also put their flooding worries to one side for 80 minutes last Saturday as they played Neath at Ystrad Mynach’s Centre for Sporting Excellence.

They too picked up a losing bonus point – Neath won 33-26 – and will look to improve on that tomorrow when Trebanos (kick-off 2.30pm) host them for a fixture that has been switched from Bridge Field.

Meanwhile, after cruising to a 45-0 triumph at neighbours Pontypool United in the Ben Francis Cup, Championship leaders Pontypool resume their league programme against Ystrad Rhondda.

The Pontypool Park showdown (kick-off 2.30pm) could see Pooler claim a 17th successive win of the season.

They are 10 points clear of second-placed Bargoed, at home to Beddau, who have a game in hand.

Bedwas: L Evans; M Finn, M Williams, L Bowden, J Rees; D McIntosh, O Keane; L Davies, M Dacey, R Hutcherson, G Allen, M Bovington, C Hudd, R Morgans, D Rogers (capt). Reps: J Cowell, K Williams, J Richards, J Hayward, J Hallett.

Cross Keys: C Povey; J Adams, A Tetley, C Nicholls, A Upton; L O’Brien, Z Bartlett; O Peddle, C Vaughan, J Rogers, J Wall, T Lampard (capt), C Hague, C Johnsey, J Thomas. Reps: TBC.

Pontypool: TBA.

Fixtures: Bargoed v Beddau, Cardiff Met v Narberth, Glamorgan Wanderers v Ystalyfera, Maesteg Quins v Neath, Pontypool v Ystrad Rhondda, Tata Steel v Cross Keys, Trebanos v Bedwas.