Raptors look to make Inverness home sweet home in glory bid
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Highland 2nd XV will be looking to make home advantage count as they try to close in on a second consecutive Caledonia North Two crown.
The Raptors romped to the league title last season, going through the entire campaign undefeated, but were ineligible for promotion as they were not a first team.
It has not been so easy for them in the 2019/20 season, although they are back at the top of the table with just one loss on their record so far.
Last week’s 60–29 demolition of third-placed North Police Scotland showed that they have returned from the winter break meaning business.
But with the gap sitting at just two points to challengers Aberdeen Grammar 2nds, coach Nathan McLaughlan is hoping his side can make the most of matches at Canal Park before the end of the campaign.
“We’ve got a very good run in, out of the next seven games five of them are at home,” McLaughlan explained.
“We’ve got two away games left, against Aberdeenshire on Saturday and then Aberdeen Grammar 2nds in a few weeks.
“Aside from that, the last few games in the league I think are all at home.”
When the Raptors hosted Aberdeenshire in Inverness earlier in the season, it turned out to be a comfortable 53–12 victory for all five points.
That kind of result has become normal at Canal Park, and McLaughlan says there is now an expectation that Highland 2nds will win every game from within the squad.
“The hard work in the first half of the season is really paying off,” he said.
“We keep putting challenges in front of the boys, and they keep rising to them, so we’ll keep giving them more.
“There’s a mentality in the squad now that we expect to be able to go away from home and win, because success breeds success.”
Caledonia North Two table and fixtures
