TOP points scorer Gareth Bown is out of this Saturday’s derby clash between Dudley Kingswinford and Stourbridge.

The fly-half went off with damaged knee ligaments just four minutes into DK’s 37-6 defeat at Caldy.

Joint-head coach Jon Higgins confirmed Bown will not recover in time to face the Saxons (kick-off 2pm), who arrive at Heathbrook top of National Two North and boasting a perfect record of 15 wins from 15 games.

Higgins said: “Gareth twisted his knee while trying to make a tackle.

“It’s a shame for him and a real blow for us because he has been in great form.

“He’ll definitely be out for Saturday and won’t be back till the new year.”

A bumper crowd is expected for the second meeting between the rivals this season, Stour having won the first game 44-10 back in September.

Higgins is fully aware of the task facing his side but says it is not negative to consider the visitors as favourites.

He said: “Stourbridge are head and shoulders above everyone else in the league.

“We just hope we can put a decent performance together and make sure we are good enough to compete for long parts of the game.

“To win the game they will have to be some distance off the top of their game and we have to be right at the top of ours.

“It’s not negative to go into the game thinking like that.

“We have to accept it’s going to be a tall order to get close to them.”

Higgins added: “We know from the first game we can cause them problems.

“It’s a case of if we can get the ball and hold onto it and if our attacks can generate points. If we can stop them scoring it may be a tight game.”

Higgins is certain his side will need to play better than they did in the second half at Caldy, when the hosts scored 27 unanswered points as DK undid the good work which had seen them trail just 10-6 at the break.

He added: “If we play like that on Saturday, we will get walloped.”