Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Penistone Church manager Steve Lenthall hopes over 400 people will attend the South Yorkshire derby at Athersley Rec on Friday night.
Athersley are anticipating a bumper payday and Lenthall is hoping they’ll get it.
“I think there’ll be 300 or 400 there,” Lenthall told Non League Yorkshire.
“I know Penistone will take quite a few down so I’d like to think that Athersley will get over the 400 mark.
“It would be massive for football in this area (if the attendance is over 400).
“We had 401 for the Garforth game and it is brilliant for the lads, both clubs and is a great advertisement.
“It shows you that Non League Football is out there and people want to watch it.
“(Friday night) is going to be a great for the North East Counties and Athersley who will get the bumper crowd.”
Penistone are looking to make amends for their previous performance against Athersley.
In what turned out to be Ian Richards’ final game of his long reign, Church lost 1-0 to the Rec back in early September.
That was a low point in the season but Church are a different animal now as they have won five out of the last six in all competitions.
“Going back to the home game when we played them I personally think the performance from Penistone wasn’t good enough,” he said.
“I think the lads know that.
“It will be a good game to go into and it is one we’re going into full of confidence.
“I think we have turned a corner in regards of results so we’re looking forward to it.
“I think we go into every game confident now.
“I think the days of when we first started off when confidence was low and heads were down are gone.
“The lads are playing with their heads high, their chests out and they’re playing for the badge.”
Tuesday night’s 2-1 win at Hemsworth under-lines Penistone’s journey under Lenthall.
When the original game was played in October, Penistone were one of the worst form sides in the league.
That game was obviously abandoned after a fracas on the terraces but going into Tuesday they were one of the form teams.
“I said to the lads that it was a second chance and I think it shows how far we have come since me and Jubby (John Whitehead) have taken charge and that first game (against Hemsworth),” he said.
“We had a game-plan and we set off pretty well.
“They are pretty direct and I felt we dealt with that well with Brett and Ry (Johnson) with a centre-midfielder sitting in front of the back four.
“They didn’t cause any threats in the first half.
“I thought we looked strong going forward with Nathan and Reece.
“All in all I thought we deserved to win the game.
“I think Hemsworth will be probably cheesed off because the game was replayed when they were 3-1 up in the previous game but that was the league’s decision.”