Highland kept focus after Dundee red card
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Highland Rugby Club head coach Dave Carson says his players had to keep the right attitude after Dundee were reduced to 14 men early on last Saturday.
The Greens ran out 43–12 winners after playing most of the game with a man advantage.
With Dundee already relegated, that could have been a recipe for complacency to kick in, but Carson’s side did not ease up at all, scoring seven tries to take a bonus point back to Inverness.
“Their red card after eight minutes certainly changed the dynamics of the game,” Carson said.
“I don’t think the result was ever in doubt after that.
“We certainly had the right attitude when they went down to 14 men.
“We could have laid back thinking we were going to win without really trying. But the boys still had to play really well to get the scores.
“Getting 43 points, regardless of where Dundee were in the league, is still a good score in National One.”
Captain Stuart MacDonald crashed over for the opening try of the game, backed up by a conversion from Scott Fraser.
A yellow card for Jese Nawacalevu did not slow their progress, as Oscar Baird crossed for another converted try and Andrew Findlater scored Highland’s third to make it 19–0 to the visitors going into the half-time interval.
In the second half Highland stayed on top, and Sean Blair added another five points before Dundee hit back with an unconverted try of their own.
Mike Gordon, Stephen Murray and Gordon Gregor thwarted any hope of an unlikely comeback though, with Fraser kicking two more conversions, before Dundee scored a consolation try with the last move of the game.
There was contrasting fortunes for Inverness Craig Dunain’s teams over the weekend.
The men’s side, unable to win Caledonia North Four and promotion after Aberdeenshire 2nds’ results were wiped out last week, showed that they will be back in the mix next season by trouncing Ellon 2nds 79–7, giving the league to Aberdeen University Medics.
ICD Women lost 34–26 to Broughton in their penultimate National Plate Pool A fixture.
