YORK City boss Russ Wilcox believes centre-back Dave Winfield is the natural choice as skipper when club captain Russell Penn is unavailable.

Winfield was handed the armband for Saturday's 3-0 win at Newport with Penn absent due to a foot problem.

The 27-year-old defender has previously assumed the duty at past clubs Wycombe and Aldershot, with City chief Wilcox feeling his position in the team makes him an ideal candidate for the role too.

"He was captain at Wycombe when they got promoted and I feel he's in the right area of the pitch for the job, being in the centre of a back three," reasoned Wilcox.

"He's a good organiser and leads by example. He makes the first contact with a lot of balls and that takes the pressure off the rest of the team."

With Penn sitting out the weekend trip, Eddie Nolan was also given his full league debut for the Minstermen as the side's midfield anchorman.

The former Northern Ireland international received the nod over 17-year-old Ben Godfrey and, following a stop-start pre-season due to injury, Wilcox is hoping Nolan is approaching full fitness.

He said: "I spoke to Ben about the team for Saturday and I just wanted to go with Eddie's experience away to a team that hadn't won all season because he brought calmness out there.

"That's something we could look at again, especially away from home. He got 90 minutes for the reserves against Gateshead last week and has had another 90 now so, all of a sudden, we're getting him up to speed."

Wilcox added his praise for three-goal marksmen Reece Thompson and James Berrett, who are among Sky Bet League Two's top-ten scorers a month into the campaign.

The City manager said: "Reece has done really well. He got on the end of another set-piece at Newport and has shown he can ghost into areas.

"You've still got to produce a good finish then though and, after using his foot against Mansfield, he headed one in the bottom corner. They've been terrific finishes from a player who has made a big, big jump up the leagues.

"He's also been carrying a couple of injuries, which are the kind of niggles you get when you're getting used to full-time training.

"With James Berrett, the first goal is often the most difficult one to score, but he did that at Newport with a well-executed and composed finish.

"I made comments about him scoring goals when I brought him in and then you're looking for him to produce, which he is doing. He's got three goals now and also had the shot for Vadaine Oliver's goal, so he's getting himself in the right areas.

"He's very good technically and his finish against Newport was right in the corner."