AS Middlesbrough Women prepare for their first appearance at the Riverside Stadium and biggest game since the summer merger with the club, boss Michael Mulhern is doing everything in his power to ensure his players handle the occasion and don't "freeze" on the big stage.

Boro Women host Stockport at the Riverside on Sunday at 2pm in front of what will be a record crowd on Teesside. More than 2,000 tickets have already sold with the club hopeful that figure will be north of 3,000 come kick-off.

For the players - particularly those in the squad from Teesside - the opportunity to play at the Riverside is "everything they've dreamed of", says Mulhern, but he's desperate to make sure his side aren't overawed by the occasion.

That's why he plans to take his squad to the Riverside on Friday night, to give the players the chance to familiarise themselves with the surroundings. Come Sunday, he says, it's "business".

"I've done this before and it's important the girls on Sunday aren't fearful and they're not tourists taking all their photos," he said.

"We're there for business. That's why we're having a look around on Friday, they can be tourists on Friday night, but then on Sunday we have a job to do and hopefully we don't freeze.

"This is massive, especially for the players who are from Middlesbrough. But I don't want them worried or feeling the pressure.

"I want them to be themselves and play. If we have one or two with that mindset where they're worried or fearful, we won't express ourselves as a team and we won't win."

Mulhern believes the first outing at the Riverside since the merger with the club in the summer shows Boro mean business.

"It shows our vision and shows everyone in Teesside, especially girls who want to play football, there's a real club here," he says.

"Everyone will see on Sunday that Middlesbrough are serious about this. The support has been brilliant. We're four months in, first game at the Riverside. Onwards and upwards.

"The aims and aspirations are we do this on a regular basis. We know we're going to do three or four this season but in the future it could be a lot more."

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After an opening day draw with Norton and Stockton and a heavy defeat to Hull City, Boro have notched successive 1-0 victories over Durham Cestria and Leeds United to climb to fourth in the National League Division One North table, just two points off top spot.

Mulhern said: "We'll keep our hopes and dreams and aspirations in the dressing room but we want to have a good season. We've signed 12 or 13 new players, it's a new group, everyone is bedding in. We've had a couple of positive results recently.

"Things are coming together but I'm not getting carried away. It's a process.

"Four months in, it's flown by. I've loved every minute of it so far. I wake up every night, three, four, five in the morning and the first thing I think about is my job. That's great. That's not working is it, it's fun. It's the best job in the world being a football coach and manager."

Tickets for Sunday's game are priced at £10 for adults and £5 concessions. Tickets can be bought online HERE and are also available at the ground on Sunday.