Birch Avenue may have become the epicentre of expectation limitation this week, but the dedicated team behind the teams are justifiably proud of what has been achieved.

Led by president and occasional grass mower Tony Pearce, the club has built up the largest junior participation in the North and is well on the way to upgrading its reserves competition title from last season.

Three wins and a draw have Cameron Heazlewood's women's team sitting a point clear of the pack while Glenn Reading has overseen the only unbeaten campaign in the men's league.

This is despite the women having faced, arguably, their toughest four opponents and both sides beginning the season with three away games.

To complete a healthy picture, the club's reserves struck twice in the dying minutes to snatch a 3-3 draw off Riverside on Saturday and sit fourth in their league.

Seeking to emulate the drought-breaking English Premier League title of his beloved Liverpool, Reading is never averse to some Jurgen Klopp-style plain speaking.

Universally known as Otis, Reading admitted he was "ropeable" with his team's first-half showing against Riverside on Saturday, but subsequently delighted with the patience and organisation that delivered three second half goals and three more points.

Heazlewood was singing from a similar hymn sheet after his side ground out a 1-0 win over the same opposition, on the back of away wins against title contenders Devonport and Northern Rangers and a valuable draw at unbeaten Burnie.

In a bizarre quirk, both Northern Championship tables have United and Devonport first and second with Rangers, Launceston City and Riverside fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

However, just two points separate the men's top six while the women's competition is dictated by which teams have been able to boost their goal difference against strugglers Ulverstone (-25) and Somerset (-42).