THE early end to the amateur football season came as a bitter blow to Ponteland United Reserves.

United currently sit nine points clear of second placed West Jesmond AFC in the inaugural Northern Alliance Development Division season, having lost just three times throughout their league campaign.

But their good work to gain promotion has been in vain with the news that the season will be wiped from the record books due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Club secretary Alan Birkinshaw said: “It’s a disappointment for the reserves, because they’re doing even better than the first team.

“They’re a bit like teams in the higher divisions - they don’t want the season to end because of their promotion hopes.”