JON Higgins hopes Dudley Kingswinford can crack two birds with one stone at Stockport this Saturday.

DK head to Greater Manchester knowing a win would almost certainly condemn their lowly hosts to the drop from National Two North.

It would also provide the visitors with their first away success of the season, a topic which has been the source of constant frustration for player-coach Higgins.

He said: “If it doesn’t happen this weekend then it’s hard to see it happening at all.

“It’s certainly a game where we think we can change our record.

“Their form is not great though obviously they will be a tougher prospect at home.”

Higgins admitted the reason for DK’s travel troubles has been difficult to pinpoint.

He said: “It probably comes down to consistency more than anything.

“The fact we can perform so well at home but can’t do the same away has been frustrating.

“If our away performances had been as good as our home ones we would probably be in the top half of the table.

“It’s a mentality thing, our players are not used to travelling long distances, getting off the bus and playing a game and then getting back on the bus and coming home.”

A win at Stockport would also go a long way to extinguishing DK’s own lingering relegation fears.

Westoe’s 19-17 win against Bromsgrove means only eight points now separate them and DK, whose home game with bottom side Huddersfield was postponed due to snow.

Higgins admitted frustration at being unable to build on an impressive performance against Hull Ionians a week previously.

He said: “It’s very frustrating not to be able to follow up a good performance right away.

“It’s not the first time it’s happened to us this season.

“Had we played Huddersfield and won it would really have given us some momentum going up to Stockport.

“But what can you do about a foot of snow in March?”