Gary Campbell is not getting carried away with Invergordon’s strong recent form after their slow start to the North Caledonian League season.
Reigning champions Invergordon have won their last 10 games on the bounce, including a Football Times Cup final success against St Duthus last month.
But they go into Saturday’s game against Loch Ness trailing the league leaders by 11 points, albeit with three games in hand.
Invergordon lost their opening two games, including a 3-1 loss away to Saturday’s opponents in September.
It makes it a crucial fixture at the Recreation Grounds this weekend, with Campbell eager to keep up his side’s momentum.
The current @NorthCaleyFA league table after yesterdays results. #FORZALOCHNESS pic.twitter.com/IBZpG8098l
— Loch Ness Football Club (@LochNessFC) November 27, 2022
Campbell said: “We are on a good run, but it counts for nothing because we had a bad start.
“We knew if we were wanting to do anything, we were going to have to go on a run like this.
“Hopefully it continues the way it is, but we just need to take each game and our performance levels will need to be better if we want to win the game this weekend.
“We didn’t play as well as we would have liked to against Golspie (1-0 away win), but it was good to get a result.
“Performance-wise it was one of the poorest of our season so far. When they went down to 10 men, we probably thought it was going to be easier than it was.
“We got over the line, which keeps the run going.”
Loch Ness remain undefeated in league
Loch Ness are the only side yet to taste defeat on league duty this term, with Shane Carling’s men dropping just four points from their opening 12 matches.
It was Invergordon who triumphed 3-1 when the sides last met in October, however, in the Football Times Cup semi-finals.
Campbell knows a stern test awaits his side, adding: “We have played them twice. They beat us in the league, and we beat them in the cup after that.
“They are going well and they have dropped very few points, so we will need to perform well and be up for the game.
“We were missing a few players last week and we’ve still got a few injured, but hopefully we will have a couple back from last week.”
Chasing pack aiming to close gap
Only a point separates second-placed St Duthus and sixth-placed Golspie Sutherland, ahead of the two sides’ encounter in Tain.
Third-placed Inverness Athletic are also looking to keep themselves in the mix, when they host Orkney.
Bottom side Bonar Bridge take on Clachnacuddin reserves, while Fort William will aim to capitalise on home advantage when they host Thurso.
Elsewhere, Nairn County reserves make the trip to Alness United.
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