Emyr Lewis announced his belated arrival to the new season at Cardiff Arms Park last night with just the sort of display you would expect from someone nicknamed "The Bull". The 41-times capped No 8, whose participation in the summer tour of Australia, was ended prematurely by a back injury, was at the heart of a Cardiff performance that suggested they have put the worst behind them. After a nightmare opening to the National League of three straight defeats, they followed up their narrow squeak of a victory at Treorchy with an emphatic 11-try rout of Ebbw Vale, earning themselves two bonus points in the process.Cardiff's running game operated sweetly with wings Steve Ford and Simon Hill the main beneficiaries with hat-tricks, Ford extending his overall league record to 69 tries.But it was Lewis who took the opportunity to ensure he should not become the forgotten man of the Welsh back row with a towering display packed with pace, aggression and intelligent angles of running.There was more of the same from the centre Leigh Davies, enjoying by far his most influential game since joining Cardiff in the summer, with stand-off Jonathan Davies also in commanding form.Ebbw Vale, quick around the park, never ran up the white flag but ultimately had no answer to a Cardiff side who have at last kick-started their season into action.The man to initiate that revival was the lock Derwyn Jones, who responded to being dropped by Wales yesterday by winning a stream of line-out possession. It's my bad luck that he is only 21."The future of another tourist, Iestyn Harris, could be resolved with the opening of talks between his club, Warrington, and St Helens.Saints are trying to persuade Warrington to part with Harris for less than the pounds 1.35m at which he is transfer listed, but the St Helens chief executive, David Howes, has denied that any players have been offered in part-exchange.. He will take up his new duties when he returns from New Zealand in November.

Powell, a replacement for the injured Paul Newlove, was a record signing for Keighley from Sheffield Eagles two seasons ago. Denis Betts, overlooked for the tour captaincy, has predicted that his former Wigan team-mate, Andy Farrell, will hold the job for many years to come. Betts, appointed vice-captain to Farrell, said: "Andy has shown that he can do the job and if he continues to do everything right he will be in the job for a very, very long time. Powell, 31, succeeds his international coach, Phil Larder, whose contract with the Cougars was not renewed late in the season. Five chairs, a table, a marble ashtray, a door, a ceiling and the doors of a lift were damaged in incidents following Maradona's return to the hotel in the early hours of Wednesday morning..

Daryl Powell, the Keighley Cougars captain, will fly out to join Great Britain tomorrow as the club's new player-coach. Le Tissier opened the scoring in the 18th minute after a superb piece of ball juggling. Deep into the second half Watson added their second, set up by the centre-back Claus Lundekvam, who sprinted half the length of the pitch.Stewart Houston also enjoyed his first success as manager of Queen's Park Rangers, but only after seeing his First Division side fall behind at Second Division Swindon. Mark Walters put Swindon ahead with a superb solo goal in the 63rd minute, but Rangers turned the game round when Daniele Dichio equalised from Paul Murray's pass in the 77th minute. Two minutes later Andrew Impey scored the winner from a Trevor Sinclair cross.n Diego Maradona's troubled career took a fresh turn yesterday when he agreed to pay for damage caused to an Alicante hotel where he was a guest. The decisive goal at the City Ground came from Bryan Roy, whose stunning 54th-minute shot went in off the crossbar.Goals by Matthew Le Tissier and Gordon Watson helped Graeme Souness to his first victory as Southampton manager, 2-0 over another Second Division side, Peterborough.

The Second Division side, who disposed of Manchester United at the same stage last season, briefly led through Neil Tolson's 54th-minute goal. Andrei Kanchelskis rescued Everton with an equaliser three minutes later, and York survived a late onslaught, thanks largely to goalkeeper Andy Warrington.Nottingham Forest made hard work of securing a 1-0 victory over Wycombe, who are struggling in the Second Division. It was the first time Boro had scored seven in a match since 1978, when they beat Chelsea 7-2 at home in a League game. Hereford's manager, Graham Turner, said: "I was hoping the referee would blow the whistle 15 minutes after half-time. It was a tidal wave at times."York City moved half-way to an upset by holding Everton to a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park. The pounds 7m Italian took his season's tally to 10 goals, including two hat- tricks.