Caithness battling to hold onto fourth place after defeat to Stags
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The Greens' struggles on the road continued when they went down 46-0 to Grangemouth on Saturday.
The result sustains the Stags' audacious late surge into contention for the Caley 1 title while leaving Caithness battling to hold onto fourth place – the position they finished last term.
It gets no easier on Saturday when they host Dunfermline, who bolstered their hopes of finishing top with a gritty 24-8 win at the home of fellow contenders Ellon.
Caithness coach Kenny Russell took heart from his team's performance at Glensburgh, insisting the margin of defeat in no way reflected the run of play.
The travelling squad was hit by a last-minute call-off when tighthead prop Michael Gunn was forced to pull out as a result of a bout of acute toothache. They were joined in Grangemouth by prop Jordan Stewart, a member of Bo'ness, who is dual registered with Caithness.
Russell gave starts to a trio of regular second-team members, forwards Sinclair Bremner, Ally Williams and Ryan Cormack, while two others, Callum MacDonald and Duncan Mackay, came on at the interval, along with Stewart.
The weather was decent for the game though the pitch was on the heavy side thanks to an overnight downpour.
The vital stats which saw their hosts run out eight tries to nil victors would seem to indicate something of a rout. But Russell begged to differ.
The coach had condemned their last league outing – a 20-18 reverse at Hillfoots – as their worst display of the season. However, he insisted Saturday's match was a very competitive affair.
"They are a very strong, physical outfit but I thought we held our own at the set-piece and open play," Russell said.
"Where we struggled badly was at the breakdown where our contact skills let us down. I counted that we gave away 10 penalties at the breakdown in the first half.
"We were holding on to the ball on the ground waiting for support or going off our feet trying to clear rucks."
Two of Grangemouth's scores went to their hard-running number eight Dan White, while centre David Harvey and right winger Matt Nesbitt also grabbed doubles.
The others fell to scrum-half Jonathon Wieczorek and hooker Dylan Stewart, with Tommy Skelton adding three conversions.
Trailing by 36-0 at the break, Caithness lost skipper Marc Anderson soon afterwards with the recurrence of a shoulder injury, with Jamie Mowat replacing him.
They adapted their game after the interval when they cut their crime count and sought to move the big home pack about the park.
Russell said: "Their domination of the breakdown in the first half was the big difference between the sides.
"I thought our defensive set-up was really solid – we had worked hard on it in training and it was much better than the Hillfoots game.
"We also looked dangerous in attack in the second half when we chapped on their door a few times.
"Bruce Stewart was nearly over a couple of times and we worked hard to the end.
"I know it might sound strange but I thought the scoreline really flattered them."
Caithness man of the match was number eight Reece Coghill, though Russell reckons back-row replacement Mackay would have been a worthy winner.
Anderson looks likely to miss Saturday's tussle with Dunfermline, with Coghill facing a late fitness test on a dodgy ankle.
Max Kennedy and Kevin Budge are set to return to the squad, though Cameron Ryder remains a doubt with a hand injury.
Russell said: "Having to play two of the title contenders in a row is tough, and Dunfermline will be looking to turn us over, but hopefully playing at Millbank in front of our own support will give us a lift."
The game kicks off at 2pm.
Hillfoots' 36-17 home victory over Aberdeen Wanderers takes them to within four points of fourth-placed Caithness.
Caithness Krakens play their last Caledonia North Region League 1 match of the season against Peterhead at Millbank. It also has a 2pm kick off.
