No pressure for promotion from Dave Carson as Highland make step up
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DAVE Carson is targeting consolidation rather than championships as Highland make the step up to National League Three next season.
The club had been tipped by president Geoff Begg for back-to-back promotions and while Carson said they would take that if offered it, no pressure will be placed on making the jump straight out of the division.
Highland stormed to the Caledonia One title this year with two games to spare a year after missing out on promotion, which Carson believes benefitted them in this season’s championship charge.
Identifying areas of weakness, such as squad depth, in rare defeats during the 2014-15 campaign were addressed in the off-season and primed Carson’s team for a successful season.
Glasgow side GHK won the National Three title this year on the back of being promoted to the division and it was cited by Begg as what Highland could be capable of.
Carson, however, will not get carried away with recent achievements as he looks to stabilise the club on the National circuit once again.
“It certainly benefitted us just missing out last year because we knew what to work on for the following season,” he said.
“We got a good grounding in Caledonia One and in the two games we lost, away at Orkney and Gordonians, realised we needed more depth in the squad and worked on recruitment.
“If we went straight up again then of course we’d take it, but I won’t be putting pressure on the players or coaches to make it happen.
“We’ll learn a lot in the first half of the season and if we’re in a position then to have a real go, then we’ll not be hold back.”
He added that he has no concerns about coming straight back down, or the extra commitment required from the players, with long trips to Dumfries, Orkney and St Boswells lying in wait for them next season.
With the first-team already securing their championship, the focus this week turns to the second string, who can win Caledonia Division Three North title with a home victory over Fraserburgh on Saturday.
Carson has selection dilemmas for the first XV, who play Hillfoots on Saturday, with Paddy Bryden (achilles), Tam Magowan (knee), Jonny Milton (hand), Rory Cross (hamstring), Ruaridh MacDonald (broken leg) and Andrew Findlater and Stuart MacDonald (both holiday) absent.
“There’s a few students coming back from university that always play when they’re home, so we’ll probably pull them into the firsts, rather than disrupting the seconds by taking four or five of them,” said Carson.
“We want the seconds to have their day. If they keep the majority of their squad intact it’ll help them with the team play they work on before the game.”
Should the seconds beat Fraserburgh, both league titles will be presented at Canal Park on Saturday afternoon in what continues to be a momentous season for the club.
