JON Higgins believes Dudley Kingswinford forged a blueprint for success with their first-half display against Malvern.

The Heathbrook side ran in four tries during a pulsating half-an-hour spell which helped set up a 41-19 victory and push them back up to second in National Three Midlands.

Joint head coach Higgins believes the performance would have been enough to beat any side in the league.

He said: “We were awesome in the first half-hour. I’m not sure Malvern touched the ball, they were chasing shadows really.

“We came out with a great intensity and they could not live with it, the front five were fantastic.

“They are a good side and they were always going to have periods of pressure during the game and they scored a couple of tries to make it interesting.

“We probably slacked off a little bit but that was hardly a surprise as there was no way we would have been able to maintain the performance of the first half-hour for the full game.

“If we could we would be playing in the Premiership.”

DK head to mid-table Newport this Saturday with Higgins keen to pick up a win ahead of the looming showdown with unbeaten league leaders Rugby Lions early next month.

Fellow head coach Pete Knight missed the Malvern clash with a concussion and is the only injury concern.

Higgins added: “Everything is gearing up towards the Rugby Lions game but we must make sure we concentrate on the Newport game first.

“They are a team who are pretty useful at home and it won’t be easy.

“But we showed on Saturday just how well we can play and if we get close to those same performance levels and attitude there is no reason we can’t go there and get a bonus points win.”