Greens undone at the death as Raptors snatch victory
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The Greens were undone at the death at Millbank as a length-of-the-park try condemned them to an 18-17 defeat against Highland 2nd XV.
It was a numbing denouement for the home outfit for whom the single losing bonus point came as cold comfort.
Cameron Boyd's men showed their mettle on Saturday in coming back from a 13-5 deficit by scoring two tries to take the lead.
But their habit of turning over possession at key moments came back to haunt them as the visitors raced upfield to claim victory thanks to Jacob Powell's 78th-minute touchdown.
The Raptors were first to threaten with the Greens' defence regularly stretched to keep them at bay.
The fast start by the city side raised fears among the home support about a looming repeat of Highland's 45-20 victory in Inverness in November in the North Conference of Caley 1.
But the early pressure was absorbed without loss and Caithness gradually worked their way into the game.
The Greens drew first blood on 21 minutes when number eight Cole Wilson's break from his own 22 was sustained by a weaving midfield run from Dougie Webster which took play over the halfway line. Three passes later, right wing Drew Matheson stood up two opponents on his way to running in his debut try.
The Caithness scrum was on top throughout, none more so than in the second quarter when they twice won the ball against the head.
The visitors thought they had scored in injury time when number eight Ryan Appleby touched down only for the referee to chalk it off for an earlier knock-on.
The breakthrough was merely delayed, as in the next attack they created an overload down the left. Charlie Quinn's crunching tackle slowed up the attack but they still had time and space to allow full back Rhuairdh Cameron to dot down.
The visitors struck again when Appleby cantered over on 52 minutes after a high-tempo breakaway. Ross Gibson failed to convert but landed a penalty six minutes later to extend his side's lead to 13-5.
The Greens hit back on the hour mark when a dominant scrum ended with scrum-half Gordie Macleod making the initial break before Scott Webster crossed. Craig Chambers converted.
Scott Webster survived a potential hero-to-zero moment after his would-be clearance kick near his own line was charged down when the subsequent touchdown was ruled out because of an offside call.
The Greens regained the initiative and a run of penalties deep in the Raptors' half led to a lineout drive being grounded in-goal by skipper Hamish Coghill with eight minutes remaining.
The home men were pressing to extend their 17-13 advantage when they coughed up possession 10 metres from the opposition line.
The visitors exploited the lightly defended open side with three passes seeing them unleashed into the Caithness half. An outstanding cover tackle from Max Kennedy put a spoke in the wheels but the ball was quickly recycled and Powell gleefully was sent free to the line.
A short-handed Caithness 2nd XV emerged with credit in their 39-26 defeat by their Moray counterparts in Elgin on Saturday.
A clutch of players unavailable through work and personal commitments meant just eight reported for duty for the Highlands and Islands Conference tussle in Caledonia North 2.
Moray loaned four players to the visitors to produce a 12-a-side match.
Caithness first-team coach Cameron Boyd: "I'm really proud of the guys who went down to ensure the fixture went ahead.
"They also made a real fight of it and came back with a try bonus point."
Newcomer Fraser McGlennan continues to impress at scrum-half for the Yellows, for whom Danny McLeod and Scott Mackay were among the try scorers.
Caithness Seconds are away again on Saturday when they travel to face Highland 3rd XV in Inverness.
