The game ended with the visitors reduced to 14 men and home lock Simon Williams seemingly crossing the line for what would have been the match winning score. But referee Gwyn Morris was perfectly placed once again and ruled out the try and blew the final whistle.
“It was a frustrating end to a frustrating afternoon. We were very much on top at the set-pieces, yet Cardiff left with the victory,” said Woods.
“We scored three tries from driving line-outs, yet we failed to convert a fourth one and then crucially missed touch with another kick into the corner late on that would have given us another shot at a line-out.
“Those are the small margins on which games can turn. But despite being frustrated again after another narrow defeat I know that we are going to be alright as the season develops and it is going to take a very good pack to get on top of us when the weather changes.”
To add to Wood’s overall frustration, former Wales scrum half Richie Rees limped out of the action after only 26 minutes of his home debut with a left leg injury that could sideline him for some time. Rees stood out like e beacon in his brief time on the field and helped to create the first try for wing Elliott Jones.
Keys’ enjoyed all the early pressure, but it was Cardiff who drew first blood after 13 minutes when Chris Knight intercepted on his 22 and raced home unopposed. James Thomas added the conversion, but it wasn’t long before Jones replied for the home side.
Cardiff struck again after 30 minutes when skipper Johnathan Edwards peeled around the front of a line out to score, but Keys ended the half on a high with a carbon-copy score from Scott Matthews. Lock James Murphy extended the Cardiff lead with a try at the posts converted by Thomas at the start of the second half before two more Matthews scores put Keys ahead 26-22.
Will Rees-Hole then crossed for a vital try for the visitors before spending the final 10 minutes in the sin-bin to put the pressure on his team mates to hold out. They did, just, and ended a run of five successive defeats against Keys.
Outside half Jack Maynard was once again the toast of Llandovery as he kicked the Drovers to a convincing 32-8 victory over Llanelli. Eight points from his boot, alongside tries from wing Aaron Warren, prop Rhodri Jones, full-back Will Thomas and back-rower Richard Brooks secured an impressive win for the hosts, who maintain their winning start to the season.
Llanelli opened the scoring in the second minute through Jordan Williams’ effort, which was expertly converted by Scarlets star Steve Shingler. A Maynard penalty made it 8-2 before the home side, who turned a few heads with last week’s 30-22 victory over Cross Keys, then got a crucial leveller before the break through Warren.
The 22-year-old wing, who scored seven tries in the 2014/15 season, opened his account for the new campaign with his latest effort deep into first-half stoppage time, which made it 8-8 at the break.
The Drovers then forged ahead after the interval when Jones powered over the line. Maynard added the extras before Thomas then scored his second try in as many games to extend the home lead to 24-8.
Brooks’ 77th minute try ensured the home side earned a vital bonus point, with Maynard’s kick put the icing on top of the cake and making it two stunning home wins to start the new Premiership season at Church Bank.
Five players saw yellow cards before Ebbw Vale came out comfortable 30-6 winners over arch-rivals Newport at Eugene Cross Park. The visitors’ lost three players to the sin-bin, and conceded two tries in each half, before the Steelmen saw two of their men head to the sideline in the closing stages.
The Ebbw Vale pack slowly, but surely got on top of their rivals to avenge their home defeat of last season. Wales Under 20 centre Barney Nightingale struck for the second weekend in a row as he scored the try that put Newport ahead in the opening minutes and it then took the home side the length of a near 50 minute first half to get back into the game.
The Steelmen conjured up two close range scores in the first half. Back row man Ronnie Kynes was driven over from a line-out and the half ended with a penalty try when another driving maul was pulled down.
That gave the home side a 14-6 interval advantage and Newport knew they had to keep their discipline after losing two players to the sin-bin in the opening period. But after Ebbw had launched a 50 metre forward drive to open the second half the Black and Ambers lost their third player to the bin.
It was no surprise when wing David Williams, with an interception try in the Newport 22, and prop Rhys Buckley crossed for the scores that earned the home side a bonus point in their second successive win of the campaign despite two late yellow cards for Cameron Regan and Iain Smerdon.
Pontypridd took their revenge over Bridgend for defeat in last season’s SSE Swalec Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium as they piled on the agony with seven tries in a 50-0 triumph at Sardis Road. Locks Seb Davies and Chris Dicomidis launched the rout and the home side were 26-0 to the good at the break.
Both teams lost two players to the sin-bin, but Ponty maintained their shape and control and turned on the style in the second half to score a further 34 points without reply.
Carmarthen Quins hit back from a 16-10 half-time deficit to run out 44-22 victors’ over visiting Neath and pick up their first win of the campaign. Quins struggled against the wind in the first-half and only had the first of Iolo Evans’ two tries and a conversion and penalty from the boot of Craig Evans to show for their efforts.
But three tries in the third quarter from Evans again, Chris Banfield and Connor Lloyd, two of which Evans improved, turned the game on its head and put the home side very much in the driving seat, before Morgan Girffiths clinched the bonus point with a fourth try.
The James boys, scrum half Tom and wing Ashley, scored first half tries for Neath and Joel Matavesi chipped in with a conversion and penalty to give them the lead in the first half. After the break Jordan Collier crossed for a third try for the visitors, who have now lost their opening two matches.
Aberavon’s fine start to the season continued with a second successive home win as they beat Bedwas 24-16. But Jason Hyatt will feel a little let down that his side didn’t manage to earn a bonus point after scoring three first half tries.
In fact, the Wizards couldn’t conjure up another point after the interval and had to defend for their lives as Bedwas turned up the heat. But in the end it was the first-half tries from Stefan Andrews, David Pritchard and Rowan Jenkins, two of which Steff Williams converted, that aw them home.
