The home side were in the mood for some champagne rugby and Neath had no answer to Keys’ dominance all over the park. And the home side eventually ran out comfortable victors, securing a bonus point in the process.
The opening 25 minutes was scrappy to say the least with neither side able to retain possession long enough for any effective play to develop.
It took 29 minutes to break the deadlock with Keys outside half Dean Gunter putting the home side ahead with a well struck penalty. Just two minutes later, Gunter added a second penalty to double his side’s lead, and from then on Keys went from strength to strength as the game went on.
Keys opening try was a fine individual effort from Elliot Jones as the winger raced away from the half way line and the Welsh All Blacks defence to score in the corner. It was Jones’ second try in as many starts for the club. Gunter added the conversion from the touchline.
Neath responded with a try from centre Ryan Evans with Keys’ forward Gerwyn Price sin-binned following a high tackle in the build-up to the try. Former Keys fly half Dai Langdon was unsuccessful with the touchline conversion and on the stroke of half time Luke Ford, against his former side, scored a brilliant try for Keys gathering his own precision kick and bounce and scoring under the sticks. Gunter added the simple extras to give his time a 20-5 lead at the interval.
It was in the second half that Keys really turned on the style in the autumn sunshine. Following a number of Neath infringements on their own line, Gunter extended the lead with a penalty and Keys’ dominance continued when Luke Williams showed great composure to score the bonus point try.
Gunter added his fourth conversion of the game before Danny Hodge, who had earlier been sent to the bin, went through totally unopposed for his second try of the season. Gunter was successful with the conversion but Neath had the final say when replacement Alun Wyn Davies crashed over but by then it was too little too late for the Welsh All Blacks.
