HEAD coach Greg Woods has called on Cross Keys' senior players to up their game when they host Neath to help the club stay in the fight for the top half of the Principality Premiership.

It may only be mid-September but the Pandy Park side have left themselves with precious little wriggle room after enduring pointless encounters against Merthyr and Bridgend.

The last time Keys finished in the bottom half was 2010 but they cannot rely on a late charge this time with the revamped Premiership splitting in half after 15 games in January.

"We need to get going and don't want to be out of the top-eight race by November or it will be a long season," said Woods.

"We've made a poor start and that gives us a little bit more edge to get off the mark and get the season started, but Neath winning at Bargoed has given us a reminder of how tough it will be while they also gave us a hell of a game at the Gnoll last season (a 32-28 win for Keys).

"The ring-fencing has given us the chance to blood some youngsters this season and I have been pretty happy with them and their progress but we have to be competitive as well.

"Some of our senior boys haven't hit form yet and things have been a bit flat, so we need them to get going. We lost our first two games last year but it's different this time."

Keys aren't panicking and will be looking for their new captain Scott Matthews to be their talisman from the back row against the Welsh All Blacks.

"Our mindset has to be spot-on on Saturday and this is a fantastic challenge for Scotty. It's all part of his development and he can lean on senior players like Leon Andrews and Adam Powell," said Woods.

"Nobody was happy with our performance at Bridgend but we've just got to keep our heads down and play our way into form."

Cross Keys Past Players' Association are meeting in the Pandy Park clubhouse at 12.30pm before the game.