RUSSELL Penn is itching to end the longest goal drought of his career but will not place personal glory ahead of team success.

The 28-year-old midfielder is still waiting for his first goal in York City colours and has gone 57 matches since getting his name on the scoresheet.

Penn last netted back in April 2013 for former club Cheltenham during a 1-0 victory at Exeter and has now beaten his previous leanest spell by three matches.

That last run ended when he shot past Everton’s USA international keeper Tim Howard during a third round FA Cup tie and, whilst a goal at one-time employers Burton this afternoon, would mean just as much, it is not a priority.

Penn, who has 32 career goals to his name and once netted four times in a single league match at Halifax, enjoys the deeper midfield role he fills for Nigel Worthington’s men these days and said: “We set up how the gaffer wants us to and that means I play a bit deeper than I used to.

“It's a system that’s worked really well during the last six or seven months, so we will be doing the same tomorrow and for the rest of the season. I played behind the front two earlier in my career, but now I tend to sit in front of the back four so, when I do score, it might have to be a 35-yard screamer and I don't mind who it comes against to be honest.

“I went quite close a couple of games ago but, I promise you, everybody will know about it when I do score. The shirt will probably come off and I will be jumping in the crowd.

“Seriously, it's something I want to bring to my game and, hopefully, sooner rather than later. Even though it would be great to get that first York City goal, however, the main thing is just to get wins.”

Penn is also pleased that the squad’s biggest goal threat – Wes Fletcher – is now fit enough to start matches following the medial ligament damage he suffered in March.

The City skipper even reckons that Fletcher’s injury probably proved the difference between promotion and staying in SkyBet League Two last season, as the Bootham Crescent outfit lost their play-off, semi-final against Fleetwood having failed to muster a goal over two legs during their narrow 1-0 aggregate win.

“There's no hiding the fact that we have missed Wes,” Penn pointed out. “He's very clever, has got pace, is always playing on the last man's shoulder and puts balls away.

“He's just a potent goal threat. It's as simple as that and I wouldn't be the only one to think that we would have had a great chance of going up if he had been fit at the end of last season.

“He's back fit now though and, if he stays fit, which is the main thing, he will easily get more than 15 goals this season. I think that Wes, Michael Coulson, Jake Hyde and Ryan Jarvis can bring a lot of goals to the team between them.”

Penn made 91 appearances in two years for Burton before deciding to move on to Cheltenham in 2012, but he is tipping today’s table-topping hosts – beaten play-off finalists last term – to gain automatic promotion this time around.

“They've started the season really well and have won all their games bar one,” he added. “They've got a good manager in Gary Rowett who's attracting interest from higher up the divisions and we are expecting nothing less than a tough game.

“They are one of my favourites to go up. Like ourselves, they were unlucky in the play-offs.

“They were also up there for a bit longer than us and have been consistently for the last two years, so they will be looking to finish in the top three.”

But Penn has admitted that his team-mates will travel to the Pirelli Stadium this afternoon with a burden having been lifted following the club’s first win of the season at Stevenage last weekend.

He said: “We were confident anyway and have always believed in ourselves but three points brings a bit of relief and just takes a bit of pressure off because people were starting to talk.”