A mixture of glorious September weather and local derbies saw attendances in the Toolstation NCEL soar to an unbelievable level over the weekend.

A total of 6,119 people watched the eighteen Premier Division and Division One matches across two days, making an average of 340 per game, a remarkable amount for Step 5 and Step 6 football.

In Division One, two of the highest seven attendances in the last twenty years were recorded on Saturday as 1,202 watched Retford United at home to neighbours Retford FC and 1,035 witnessed the derby between Wakefield AFC and Horbury Town.

And, on Friday night, a crowd of 542 were at the game between Wombwell Town and Athersley Recreation.

The biggest attendance of the weekend in the Premier Division was at Goole AFC on Friday where 437 saw the Vikings take on Barton Town whilst, on Saturday, 381 were at Albion Sports' match at Penistone Church.

It continues the trend of bigger crowds in both divisions so far this season with an average of 239 in the Premier Division, up over 6% from last year, whilst Division One's attendances have rocketed up by almost 27% to 198.

Photo: Just some of the 1,305 who were at Wakefield AFC's home match with neighbours Horbury Town in Toolstation NCEL Division One on Saturday. (Picture: Mark Parsons)