The lack of strength in depth in the Caithness travelling squad was again exposed as they ended up on the wrong end of a 7-3 try count at Ellon.
Caithness Krakens and Shetland are set to meet for the first time since the Thurso-based side joined the national league set-up last year.
Caithness suffered a 64-12 hiding at McKane Park in Caley 1 but the unstinting efforts of the 16-man visiting squad should not be overlooked.
Millbank in Thurso is to host a charity rugby match later this month in memory of a popular farmer from Caithness who died in April last year.
Draws in rugby are few and far between, but Saturday's 7-7 tie at Millbank was a fair share of the spoils for Caithness and their Caley 1 opponents.
Should Tillicoultry-based Hillfoots follow Blairgowrie's exit from Caledonia Region League 1, Caithness would be left with just five opponents.
Caithness Seconds beat the odds as they powered to a 34-22 win at Millbank on Saturday to knock Kinloss Eagles off the top of Caley North 3.
Caithness Krakens went down 46-7 on Saturday in their away encounter with Aberdeen Quines in the Women's Caledonia North Region League.
Caithness 1st XV put their stuttering start to the season behind them as they scored nine tries in a 57-21 victory over Aberdeen Wanderers.
A second-half surge kickstarted the Greens' season as they came from behind to beat Hillfoots 27-12 at Millbank on Saturday.
Caithness Seconds' first away outing in Caledonian North League 3 saw them go down 67-19 versus Turriff.
Coach Kenny Russell is looking for a big Millbank crowd to get behind his injury-ravaged Caithness squad on Saturday as they take on Hillfoots.
The Caley 1 League curtain-raiser at Millbank made for painful viewing for Caithness fans on Saturday as visitors Ellon racked up a 60-24 victory.
The road to Murrayfield began and ended for Caithness men's 1st XV on the opening day of the season with a National Shield loss to Grangemouth Stags.
The Greens kick off their season on Saturday with a testing National Shield first-round tie away to Grangemouth Stags.
Holiday commitments and injuries are stretching the resources of the Caithness Krakens as they prepare to travel to Orkney this weekend.
Recent sightings of white-tailed sea eagles in a north Sutherland village have led to calls for a planned wind farm to be put on hold.
A silver and a bronze have been added to the collection of international silverware secured by Mark Mackay on the senior badminton circuit.
The honours were shared on Saturday as Orkney travelled with two men's rugby squads to lock horns with Caithness at Millbank.
Caithness Evergreens ambled into action again at the weekend when they took part in the Dundee City 7s.
