Much-changed Greens see off Aberdeenshire challenge
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A revamped Greens extended their decent home form with a 34-29 triumph over Aberdeenshire.
The sides traded 10 tries at Millbank on Saturday in an entertaining tussle in which the visitors' last-play touchdown earned them two losing bonus points.
Caithness featured 10 changes to the starting line-up from their previous outing, a hefty defeat away to Caley 1 title chasers Ellon.
They welcomed back the Anderson brothers – skipper Marc, from a dislocated shoulder, and number eight Grant, from a spell offshore.
Veteran Graham Fryer played scrum-half, while half the pack was filled with players who won their places after fine showings in the 2nd XV.
Shire looked to have survived sustained early pressure with Grant Anderson prominent.
But full-back Callum Wright's would-be clearance kick from a scrum five on five minutes was charged down by Fryer, who regathered before touching down.
The visitors proceeded to score on their first sortie to the opposition 22 after 12 minutes.
Shire skipper Paul Harrow made the crucial break before sending in winger Tom Watson wide on the right. Mikey Mair nailed the extras.
Four minutes later, the Greens regained the lead when Marc Anderson and Gordie Macleod provided the links before young flanker Max Kennedy powered his way over. Marc Anderson converted from near the touchline.
The visitors responded on 24 minutes when Fryer got a taste of his own medicine as he had a kick near his own line charged down, with lock Alan Tyler following through to touch down. Mair's conversion put his side 14-12 up.
The ping-pong scoring sequence continued on the half-hour mark when a lineout drive provided the platform for Macleod to step past three opponents to the line.
Caithness were in again shortly before the interval when Grant Anderson's sparky break paved the way for Macleod to skip past his opponent to dot down his second of the day.
The Greens opened up a 34-14 lead with two tries within 10 minutes of the resumption.
Marc Anderson fractured the defence to give full-back Cameron Ryder a free run to the line before Grant Anderson touched down after a turbocharged drive from a five-metre lineout.
Shire rallied and reduced the deficit on 52 minutes when Harrow ducked and dived his way over.
Mair's conversion and subsequent penalty cut the deficit to 10 points.
With Caithness penalty infringements mounting, the visitors could scent blood.
But the home outfit stood firm, with Charlie Quinn putting in some monster tackles in midfield.
Their cause was helped by Mair's sin-binning with 10 minutes left.
Macleod went close to his hat-trick try as Caithness dominated the latter stages.
In the final play, Shire broke from their own 22 with Harrow galloping clear before releasing Wright for an unopposed run-in.
Caithness coach Kenny Russell was pleased with the result and the performance.
He said: "Despite having quite a few of our boys off at the Scotland game and others out injured, we pulled together quite a decent squad.
"It was great having the Andersons back. I thought Grant carried superbly and had a really good game, while Marc is such a good reader of the game.
"I would also single out Mini [Graham Fryer] for digging us out of a hole and having such a good game at scrum-half."
While happy with the variety and quality of the six tries they scored, he was disappointed that they failed to convert spells of concerted pressure in the latter stages of the match.
The Greens next play on December 3, away to Hillfoots.
