Highland’s great run in their first season in National League 1 continued at Canal Park where they beat winless Dundee High 66-17.
Dundee arrived with a depleted squad, even having to borrow two players from North of Scotland side Ross Sutherland for the game.
Highland head coach Dave Carson was happy with the outcome, although he was less enamoured about losing two second half tries to the under-strength visitors.
He said: “This was a vastly improved performance on last week’s one at home to Ayr, setting us up nicely for a crack at Melrose at the Greenyards next week.
“It keeps us in second place in the league behind Biggar. It was also encouraging that we were able to bring in Tom Smith, another of our young players who fitted seamlessly into the pack.
“He had a great game, proving the 18-year-old has learned much in his time in Australia. Second in the top national league and into the last eight of the Scottish Cup, can’t be bad.”
Highland came flying out of the blocks, securing the win early in the first half, enabling them to turn around 38-3 to the good.
Scrum-half Hugo Crush was the first half home hero, grabbing a hat-trick of tries.
Full-back Rupeni Rokoduguni added one of his own, while lock Oscar Baird and prop Steven Murray cashed in on fine play by the Inverness side.
Stand-off Scott Fraser kicked four conversions to make it 38-3 at the break.
The second half try scorers for the homesters came from winger Stephen Rutledge, Fraser, Smith and a second for Rokoduguni, all converted by the excellent Fraser.
Veteran hooker Kevin Brown failed to mark his birthday with a try, but had the consolation of having two assists to his credit.