EBBW Vale forwards coach Will Thomas is hoping to avoid Gwent derby agony when he faces his home town club Cross Keys at Eugene Cross Park this weekend.

Keys made it an unhappy homecoming when lock Thomas returned to Pandy Park in December, the hosts running out 11-10 victors.

Thomas captained Keys in 2006-7 before leaving to take up a player/coach role with the Steelmen and he knows from first-hand experience that his current side need to stop his former team-mates getting on the front foot tomorrow afternoon.

"The defeat at Pandy Park was a frustrating one because we felt we in total control in the first half and were putting pressure on their set piece, but then they got their tails up after the break," he said.

"I know all too well that Keys are a hard side to stop when they get a sniff and they are playing down towards the clubhouse.

"We need to make sure we don't allow them to build up momentum this weekend, their pack are a good, honest bunch and they can be hard to play against in wet and slippery conditions.

"Hopefully it will be dry tomorrow so that we can move away from a battle up front because (lock) Ben Watkins is pivotal to their play, (hooker) Lloyd Burns gets them going on the front foot and they have a physical back row whoever is selected.

"But they have also been rejuvenated with young Scott Sneddon at ten, he looks a really assured player so we will need to be on our game all over the park."

Vale head into the clash in fifth place in the Premiership table, five ahead of Aberavon who have a game in hand and two behind Pontypridd and Swansea, who they face in their last game at St Helen's next Friday.

The Steelmen were hit hard by a sloppy ending to their clash with Glamorgan Wanderers last weekend when a late kick by Rhys Jones, son of Kingsley, ensured a share of the points.

Thomas said: "Cardiff's win over Neath means that second is probably out of the question but third is still up for grabs, which makes last weekend's dropped points even more frustrating.

"We cut them a few times in the first half but didn't finish them off and then after the break we showed great patience only to let the lead slip.

"But it's a case of getting on with it and moving on, but we can't afford to drop more points this weekend if we are to go to Swansea next week with a hope of taking over them.

"We want to finish strongly because we don't feel that a fifth-placed finish would be a just reward for our efforts this season."

Vale are without lock Will Jones, who is back at Loughborough University, and he is replaced by Matthew Griffin.

Flanker Nio Aiono makes a welcome return in the back row alongside skipper John Bowd and John McPhail.

Ebbw Vale: A McLaughlan, S Hunt, J Lewis, K Owen, A Bevan, B Shelbourne, R Lewis, M Jones, R Wilkes, A Lott, W Thomas, M Griffin, N Aiono, J McPhail, J Bowd (captain).

Replacements: D Wathurst, M Williams, J Thomas, R Jenkins, G Williams, G Roberts, A Bramwell.