STRUGGLING to find a squad of 22 players to face Swansea in yet another rearranged match, Cross Keys performed well but never looked like bringing back a point from St Helens last night.

They fought hard and they fought well, repelling all attacks for the first half-hour and notching two tries when the gap between the two sides had already shown that the result was not in doubt.

It was the unfailing manner of their attack that earned the home side five tries, but Keys performed miracles in defence considering the organisational difficulties when players are not familiar with each other.

Nineteen men now figure on the Keys' injured list and Fleur-de-Lys in particular helped them out with a couple of players last night, but there was a lop-sided look to the squad with three hookers and three scrum-halves making up the numbers and young number nine Ryan James filling the outside half berth.

So it was no great surprise to find Swansea leading 22-0 by the interval.

Replacement prop Andrew Clatworthy was on the field less than a minute before he put the finishing touches to a driving maul for the first try of the game and there were three others from Swansea before the break.

Having lock Wayne Sims sin-binned after referee Ken Bowen had warned both sides about killing the ball was bad enough, but losing skipper Gareth Turner with a nose injury midway through the second half was something Keys could have done without.

They showed great persistence in sticking to their task and Gareth Betts scooted over for a good try, converted by the dependable Jonathan Williams.

The defence leaked just one more try to the All Whites before Mark McKee ran hard to put over Justin Thomas over for a try, again converted by Williams.

It really was a bridge too far for Keys, who suffered their eighth defeat in a row but who hope to welcome back several of their injured players for their final game of the season against Ebbw Vale on Saturday.

Swansea: N Thomas, L Bevan, C Shelmerdine, A Thomas, A Bramwell, S Thomas (L Richards 75), R Wells, R Jones (A Clatworthy 25), D Colclough (B Williams 59) L May, S Kiley, N Thomas, A Gwynne, N Clancy, S Edwards. Scorers: tries: A Clatworthy, A Thomas, R Wells, S Edwards, L Bevan; cons: S Thomas (2).

Cross Keys: J Thomas, J Williams, G Turner (T Lampard 59), M McKee, D Miles (R Miller 79)), R James, G Betts, I George, R Draper (G Horrigan 21), D Evans, B Griffiths, W Sims, M Jones, M Williams, W Thomas (H Kinsella 68). Scorers: tries: G Betts, J Thomas; cons: J Williams (2).