Pressure on Caithness for top-half finish
ALL the signs are that competition in RBS Caledonian League 1 is going to be red hot.
After three rounds, just St Andrews University and holders Aberdeenshire have avoided defeat and only Orkney are yet to win.
The need to finish in the top half of the table is enhanced by the early travails of four of the sides in the Championship leagues above. Every demotion from the latter would intensify the scrap for survival in Caley 1, as more teams could make the drop.
Greens coach Colin Sangster was all too aware of the need for his side to get points on the board from Saturday’s match.
As much as the bonus point victory, he savoured their swashbuckling performance in the opening 30 minutes which as good as sealed the win.
“We took a step forward and in the opening 30 minutes we played in exactly the way I want us to play,” said Sangster. “We then took our foot of the gas and Mackie deserve credit for the way they reacted. A lot of teams would have capitulated but they battled back and took the game to us.”
Sangster was unhappy with the succession of errors and penalties conceded by his side after the interval, which helped hand the initiative to the visitors.
Caithness will set off tonight to prepare for their fixture away to St Andrews University tomorrow.
The students have strengthened this season as they can call on all the Wednesday squad who take part in the Scottish inter-university league. Traditionally, the Saturday side loses some students who play for other clubs.
Newly promoted, St Andrews have chalked up comfortable victories in their opening three matches against Hillfoots (43-20), Mackie (31-14) and Ellon (50-31).
Sangster said: “They have a very slick set of backs. I’d think the key – as is the case against most student sides – is to try and boss them up front.”
Offshore commitments deprive the Greens of prop John Miller and centre Danny Gordon.
Caithness and St Andrews Uni were among the five homes sides to chalk up bonus point wins on Saturday.
Highland climbed to third place in the table with a 27-7 victory over Orkney; Aberdeenshire demolished Strathmore 52-12 while Gordonians hammered Hillfoots 38-3.