Cardiff moved level on points with second-placed Newport in the Welsh-Scottish League after brushing off a brave challenge from bottom club Cross Keys.

Coach Lynn Howells made 12 changes from the side knocked out of Principality Cup contention by Swansea last Saturday, resting Wales stars such as Rob Howley, Neil Jenkins, David Young and Martyn Williams ahead of this weekend's critical league clash against the All Whites.

Cardiff struggled for cohesion on a glue-pot playing surface as a result, but still outscored their hosts 4-2 on tries.

Wales full-back Rhys Williams collected two touchdowns, while there were also scores for wing Owain Ashman and scrum-half Ryan Powell.

Keys, beaten for the 16th time in 17 league starts this term, grabbed a well-worked 56th-minute touchdown by lock Nick Kelly, while their Fijian fly-half Seremaia Bai kicked 13 points.

Referee Gareth Simmonds awarded Keys an injury-time penalty try, but Cardiff were already home and dry with their sights set on tackling Swansea.

Fresh vigour

Keys reduced a 16-0 interval deficit to just eight points midway through the second half, but Powell's try killed off the fightback and Williams' second touchdown gave the visitors breathing space.

Despite catching Newport, Cardiff remain in third place, still three points behind leaders Swansea, who have a priceless game in hand.

Cardiff made a strong start, and were 10-0 up inside 15 minutes through Ashman's touchdown and a conversion and penalty from fly-half Mike Rayer.

Rayer though, left the field injured on 18 minutes, and Cardiff required two penalties from his replacement Lee Davies for their solitary remaining first-half scores.

Keys enjoyed an impressive third quarter, Kelly crashing over to complete a fast-flowing handling move, and with Bai finding his range with the boot, Cardiff couldn't relax.

However, the appearance of powerful Wales forward Craig Quinnell as a 60th-minute substitute instilled fresh vigour into the set-piece effort, and despite Key's battling efforts, a Cardiff victory was never in doubt.

Cross Keys: Tries: Penalty try, Kelly. Cons: Bai 2. Pens: Bai 3.

Cardiff: Tries: R Williams 2, Ashman, R Powell. Cons: Rayer, Davies. Pens: Rayer, Davies 2.

Att: 1,000

Teams -

Cross Keys:C Bushell; S Crane, G Bowen, A Price, S Reed; S Bai, T Walsh; I Evans, L Gardner, D Crimmins; N Kelly, K Stewart; S Gardner, C Brown, A Gibbs.
Replacements: Webb, Ellis, Stroud, M Jones, D Davies, Williams, Watkins.

Cardiff: R Williams; P Jones, J Robinson, P Muller, O Ashman; M Rayer, R Powell; P Rogers, A Lewis, K Fourie, S Moore, M Voyle, G Kacala, W Fyvie, O Williams.
Replacements: K Ellis, L Davies, G Thomas, E Lewis, C Quinnell, G Powell, J Humphreys.

Referee: Gareth Simmonds (WRU)