CROSS Keys head to the capital tomorrow evening (kick-off 7.15pm) determined to show Cardiff that they are far from the pushovers that faced them on the opening day of the season.

The Blue and Blacks were comprehensive 35-21 winners at Pandy Park in September, the hosts failing to do themselves justice with a raft of new faces in their side.

Since then Keys have steadily improved and head into the Arms Park clash with a record of six wins from their last eight games.

Both sides were comfortable victors in the Konica Minolta Cup at the weekend, Keys beating Merthyr and Cardiff brushing off Carmarthen, and the Pandy Park outfit are determined to ensure it is they who remain in the winning groove come the final whistle.

"We weren't really prepared well enough for the game on the first day of the season and I think the players would agree with that," said director of rugby Robert Beale.

"This is an opportunity to go there and put in a performance that we are pleased with and to improve on the display against them at Pandy Park.

"All credit to Cardiff, they played very well when they came to us and deserved their win, but we feel that we didn't do ourselves justic on that day and the aim is to show that we are a far better side than that.

"As coaches we were preparing for the game against Merthyr while to an extent having one eye on this game and within reason we have been almost able to select two sides.

"We got the result we were after on Saturday and now we are totally focussed on the game ahead of us. We picked up a few injuries, which is a shame, but we are boosted by the return of key players like Ben Watkins and Tom Lampard."

Keys will also be looking for big performances from former Cardiff men Leon Andrews, Premiership top scorer and the star of their season to date, and James Malpas.

And Beale is looking for his players to show the kind of resilence and professionalism that they did against a dogged Merthyr side at the weekend.

"We were a bit tentative in the first half if I'm honest," he said. "But fair play to the players because they really went out and performed well in the second half, they controlled the game and the tactics were spot on.

"It was a good result and I would have taken that score before the game. There are a few things that we have tried to iron out before Cardiff but that is always the case."

Injuries picked up at Merthyr by hooker Rhys Miller, centre Lee Humphreys and Marcus Johnstone rule them out of the game but centre Carl Pocock has recovered from a strained hamstring.

Ben Watkins is back to skipper the side from lock while Ryan James and James Leadbetter continue as half-back.

There will be brothers on the wings after Owen Williams was secured on permit from Blackwood to play on the opposite flank to Gareth.

Cross Keys: L Andrews, G Williams, C Pocock, D Dark, O Williams, R James, J Leadbetter, J Price, L Burns, C Gould, A Sweet, B Watkins (captain), G Gladwyn, T Lampard, J Malpas.

Replacements: B Fisher, D Preece, C Bridges, S Rabuli, M Curtis, S Mitchell, S Regan or D Price.