Caithness Rugby Club first team prepare to resume battle for Caledonia One survival as Yellows pick up spirited win over Turriff in North Three
Survival is on the mind of Caithness men's first team as they prepare to face Highland 2nds in Inverness on Saturday.
Just after the halfway mark in the Caledonia One North Conference, the Greens' woeful away form leaves them bottom of the league, three points behind North Police.
Cameron Boyd's side are bidding for a double over the Raptors to follow up their 29-10 win in Thurso in mid September.
"We should have a pretty strong travelling squad," said the coach.
"It's our first game for a couple of weeks but they (Highland) also have been hit with postponements."
Centre Charlie Quinn and full back Scott Webster remain sidelined with injury, but otherwise Boyd is expecting to have a full roster to choose from for the game due to go ahead on one of the grass pitches as Highland’s first team are on the 3G synthetic pitch.
The venue is welcomed by the visitors, with Boyd saying: “That is music to my ears. Our guys hate playing on an artificial surface,
"I've not got stats to back this up but I'd be fairly certain there's more injuries per minute on artificial surfaces than on grass."
Last weekend Caithness Seconds scored a spirited 36-10 win over Caley North Three leaders Turriff at Millbank on Saturday.
The Yellows were never behind in a game where they had to play short-handed for spells either side of the interval after having two players yellow carded.
First team coach Cameron Boyd looked after the side, which gave game time to Greens squad members Duncan Mackay, Max Kennedy and Jamie Mowat who were returning from injury.
"Everybody played well," said Boyd.
"Turriff are a very physical team and we got drawn into playing the type of game they wanted to play.
"When we started playing to our strengths and managed to play with a bit of width, we looked very good."
Boyd welcomed the senior debut of former youth player Will Oag, who bagged two of the six tries, and the return to action of number eight Craig Cannop.
Other winger Drew Matheson scored three with Kennedy getting the other try. Mowat potted three conversions. Lock Reece Mowat picked up the Yellows' player of the match award.
The home defence was fully tested with full back Gary Mackay prominent with two try-saving tackles while centres Colin Gemmill and Dougie Gunn were sent to the naughty step for high tackles.
This Saturday the Yellows are away to Dyce.
