SKIPPER Russell Penn reckons York City will not be as anxious in winning positions having held out for a 1-0 victory at Cheltenham.

The Minstermen have thrown away 11 points in matches they have led this term – with six lost due to conceding stoppage-time equalisers.

Had all those points been preserved, the Bootham Crescent club would now be sitting in a play-off place rather than fifth-bottom in the Sky Bet League Two standings but Penn believes surviving a nail-biting finale to Saturday’s game at his old club could prove an important psychological fillip.

The captain was forced to fret along with the 267 watching City fans at Whaddon Road after being substituted due to a virus and, describing the possible significance of those last 20 minutes, he said: “I was a bit nervous at the end but it was always going to be like that with the position we are in and the amount of leads we have had this season.

“I didn’t like watching from the bench at all but the lads were terrific and we got over the line. The next time that happens we might be a bit more comfortable now because it’s been a bit hairy-scary during those last 20 minutes when we have been 1-0 in front.

“Hopefully, we can look to get that second goal now because I think that’s the big thing.”

Along with City boss Russ Wilcox and team-mates Diego De Girolamo and Tom Platt, Penn was taken ill the night before his first visit to Cheltenham since leaving the Gloucestershire club last January following a two-and-a-half year spell.

His desire to play against former team-mates, however, helped him get through two-thirds of the game on adrenalin.

“There were three of us who had sleepless nights and it was touch and go whether I was going to play,” he revealed. “But I was always going to play against my old club even if I’d been at death’s door.

“I wish I’d felt a bit better but, even though it was great to see some old faces, the most important thing was the three points and I just gave everything for an hour but the last 15 I struggled and had to come off because my legs were cramping up.”

Penn has been impressed, meanwhile, by the impact made by Wilcox, who coached him at his first professional club Scunthorpe a decade ago.

Under their new chief, City have taken five points from their last nine and Penn is seeing shoots of improvement, saying: “He’s brought a different style of play and it’s something we are all enjoying in training, which has been intense.

“He’s very honest and a lot is changing but we are getting used to that, as is being seen on the pitch. He was the reserve team and assistant manager when I was at Scunthorpe, so everything was a bit more light-hearted, but he’s still got the same endeavour, passion to win and is very stern.

“What you see is what you get and we are three unbeaten now. We are starting to look a real prospect and just need to kick on.

“We have been terrific in the first half of the last three games and were very unlucky not to get three points at Morecambe. A draw against Mansfield was probably fair in the end, but there have been some very good signs.

“We have a nice game where the pressure is off a little bit now, but it’s the FA Cup against Wimbledon, so we’re looking forward to it. It was vital we got three points (at Cheltenham) with two weeks to our next league game against Oxford at home, but we will need to get at them and then see if we can rack up some points on the board before Christmas.”

Penn has been partnered by Lewis Montrose in the centre of midfield during City’s last three unbeaten matches, having been suspended for Wilcox’ first game in charge – the 1-0 home defeat to Shrewsbury.

That combination enables Penn to contribute more to the side’s attacking efforts and he reasoned: “When we’ve played together, it’s gone really well so, hopefully, long may it continue. We are getting the ball down and, if it wasn’t for me getting sent off at Newport, we would have probably got another encouraging result.”

Penn has also been impressed with the performances of Diego De Girolamo since his loan arrival from Sheffield United.

The Italian under-20 international netted his third goal in four games at Cheltenham and the 28-year-old midfielder feels he has great potential, saying: “He’s a very good talent.

“We just want to get 90 minutes out of him. He’s got to get that level of fitness needed in the man’s game but his first-half performances in the last two games have been brilliant really and he could have scored more goals than he has already. If he gets that little bit fitter, he will be a top player."