CROSS Keys coach David Rees doesn't expect there to be much between his side and visitors Carmarthen Quins in their cup clash at Pandy Park tomorrow.

But he is more than hopeful that the prospect of a second lucrative clash with Newport plus home advantage will give his side a decisive edge.

"We'll meet Newport at home in the next round if we win and with our league meeting to be rearranged as well, the prospect of two big pay days is important to the club," said Rees.

"There is no doubt that Newport are the best supported club in Wales, we are the top two sides in Gwent at the moment, relations between the two clubs are very close and we both play attractive rugby.

"We had 3,000 people at Pandy Park for a pre-season friendly and I anticipate the same for our league match.

"I'm not really looking at the next round of the cup because we have a very tough game on Saturday, but there's no doubt the prospect of another clash with Newport is a big incentive.

"It's also a big incentive for Carmarthen but home advantage is a big plus and though there may be only one score in it, I hope it will be in our favour."

Rees was unhappy tomorrow's game did not go ahead as planned last Saturday for he believed the Pandy Park pitch was playable.

"Underneath some surface water the pitch was very firm and we could have played," he said.

"But the Carmarthen captain and coach decided even before their team arrived that they did not want to play."

Rees did not claim this was because they had injury problems, but in view of the fact Carmarthen have made several changes for tomorrow's game, it might well have been a factor.

Rees, though, is not too unhappy there has been a break. "It may even have done us some good," he said, "because at training this week a few of our key players said they felt they needed a rest.

"We have been playing off a small squad of 21 or 22 players week in, week out and the players have been feeling it."

He added: "Tomorrow's game will be close as have been most of the games between the sides in the last two or three seasons.

"Both sides play expansive rugby and I don't think it will be any different just because it is the cup.

"The team which controls the ball better and which steps up in defence will win and we have been putting a lot of emphasis in this week's training on our defensive alignment."