YORK City skipper Russell Penn is happy to keep doing the "dirty work" if his team-mates continue hitting the back of the net.

With Penn holding the fort at Carlisle on Sunday, all three of his fellow midfielders Josh Carson, Luke Summerfield and Michael Coulson got on the scoresheet in a 3-0 win.

In fact, while Penn has been used as an anchor in front of the back four, City have averaged exactly two goals a game during their last half-dozen outings and the ex-England C international, who currently tops The Press Player of the Year standings, does not mind others receiving plaudits for their scoring prowess.

"As long as other people have the quality to put the ball in the back of the net, I will do the dirty work," Penn smiled. "I've made a career out of it.

"It's a good team to play in at the moment and, hopefully, we can get a few more points in the next month, which will see us looking up, rather than down."

Central-midfield partner Summerfield, in particular, appears to be a big beneficiary of Penn's selfless work.

The 27-year-old playmaker, who has netted twice in his last three games, scored six times in the one previous campaign he lined up alongside Penn at former club Cheltenham.

That tally is three better than any other haul Summerfield has managed in a single season.

On their compatibility, Penn joked: "Summers gets the moves and I just stick around in League Two. We worked well at Cheltenham a couple of years ago and, hopefully, we can keep the same relationship going until the end of the season.

"We know we've got healthy competition though with players fighting for places and that means you have to maintain your standards."

Despite only winning their first home match of the campaign on Boxing Day, Penn is also looking forward to a run of matches that will see the Minstermen play at Bootham Crescent during three of their first four fixtures in 2015.

He said: "I really am looking forward to that schedule. Even though we had not won at home for so long, it didn't feel like doom and gloom around here.

"We were playing some good stuff and scoring a few goals, but the win against Accrington was still a weight off our shoulders and, hopefully, we can get some more now."

Plymouth are first up in North Yorkshire this afternoon and Penn is optimistic ahead of the contest, adding: "It will be another tough game and completely different to the Carlisle match.

York Press:

WINNING FEELING: Russell Penn is revelling in York City's good form

"They play a lot of football and have got two very good strikers, who are quick and know this level very well, but that's nothing to worry about. I think they will be more worried about us the form we are in.

"Confidence breeds confidence and we are on a high going into a big game. We won our first home game of the season last week and need to kick on now."

The Dudley-born, 29-year-old is also planning to put the shackles on Argyle's on-loan Bristol City midfielder Bobby Reid, who scored and impressed during the last fixture between the two clubs in November.

"He's a young, wriggly kind of player who pops up here, there and everywhere, so he's one to look out for," Penn admitted. "They play three in the middle, which is always tough, so we have to nullify that but, hopefully, they will be looking more at us, than we are at them."

The City captain, meanwhile, admitted he still harbours fond memories of 2014 - a year in which he helped his new club reach the League Two play-offs having been allowed to leave Cheltenham.

Despite a stuttering start to the current campaign, he also now feels positive about the Minstermen's 2015 fortunes.

"I felt 2014 was fantastic on a personal note and for the club really," Penn said. "When I signed a year ago, I didn't expect to finish where we did last season.

"That was an absolute bonus to get into the play-offs. It was a big disappointment to get off to the start we did this season after a lot of changes, but the new manager has come in and it's funny how football can change.

"We have a completely different direction now, but I'm really enjoying it and I'm looking forward to the second half of the season now. We need to get a lot of points on the board to ensure safety first and then see where we can go from there."