THESE are exciting times for Middlesbrough Women.

Michael Mulhern's side are in blistering form, moved top of the table for the first time this season at the weekend and have a Riverside date to look forward to.

Boro Women are very much ahead of schedule. After last summer's official merger with the football club, the message was clear - everyone involved had big ambitions but were well aware of the importance of patience. Success didn't have to come overnight and promotion wasn't expected in season one. But Mulhern's side are in the mix.

The weekend victory over York City lifted Boro top of Division One North and although Hull and Barnsley, both three points back, have two games in hand, Mulhern's side are very much the team in form, having won seven of their last nine games since their 0-0 draw with Stockport County Ladies at the Riverside back in September.

There's now another Riverside date on the calendar. Boro will host Doncaster Rovers Belles at the stadium on Sunday, March 10 - with tickets on sale now. Before then comes a crunch top of the table clash with Barnsley at Stockton this coming Sunday (2pm) - a game that could go a long way to deciding who wins promotion this season.

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Boro might now be top but Mulhern and his players aren't feeling the heat.

"We weren't necessarily expected to do anything this year and we haven't put any pressure on ourselves," he tells the Echo.

"We were third bottom last year, a point above relegation, we're a new team and in the summer it was a case of, right, what can we do? It's all coming together quicker than we could have hoped really.

"The club are doing exactly what they said they'd do, they're letting me take my time and there's no pressure. It's fun.

"I have regrets about some of the results at the start of the season but that's football and we're in with a shout.

"We're in the right place, we're in a good position, we're pushing forward and we're improving all the time. Ultimately that's all I need, to see there's progression. It's a pleasure to work with the group and we'll see where it brings us.

"I don't want to be waiting four or five years to get out of the league, which is what Newcastle had to do. We want gradual progression with the right players in place so there's not major surgery with every promotion.

"You have to have the right players and trust those players. The players know I trust them and they're good enough to go up."

Tickets for Sunday's game against Barnsley are available on the gate at Stockton. More information about tickets for next month's game against Doncaster at the Riverside can be found HERE.