MARVIN McCOY believes he is rising to the occasion after fighting back into the York City first team.

The 26-year-old has been re-installed at right-back following Brad Halliday’s move into the centre of midfield and the Minstermen have picked up four points following a draw at Luton and a 2-0 victory over Tranmere.

Having last seen action in the loss to Wycombe on January 10 before his recall at Kenilworth Road, McCoy is delighted to have regained his shirt and is determined to keep hold of it for the remainder of the League Two campaign.

Ahead of today’s trip to Northampton, he said of his exclusion: “It’s difficult but it only makes you hungry so, when you get your chance to get back in the team, you take it and grab it with both hands. I feel I have done that. You have always got to be professional.

“It is not nice being dropped or taken out of the team. It is how you react to it. I think I reacted positively. We have got the two results when I have been in and I am pretty pleased with how I have played.”

Keeping his head down, rather than stomping around - something McCoy says would be “out of character” for him - he has been thrilled by the club’s recent revival.

And he revealed that, even when the club struggled to pick up results, team spirit never dropped.

He added: “It is good to get points on the board in the position we are in and, hopefully, we can continue that and get three points at Northampton. It is always good to be playing and that is what I want to do for the rest of the season. Hopefully, I can keep my shirt and stay in the team.

“All season it (team spirit) has been good. We have got a good set of lads here. Sometimes it is difficult when you lose. This week has been extra bubbly but you never get too high or too low in football and, hopefully, we can keep it in the middle and have a good performance today.”

With more licence to support City’s attacking play, and with the Minstermen’s midfielders roaming around the pitch, McCoy is hoping he can have a positive impact at both ends of the park.

Ultimately, though, he wants to keep his place in the side - and believes he can thrive as competition for places gets ever more intense.

He said: “The system gives me a chance to get forward and that’s what I like to do.

“If I can get forward and get a couple of assists, or make it hard for their defence and help the boys going forward, then I will do it.”

Added the right-back: “I want to see out the season and have a good end to it.

“There is pressure but some people deal with it in different ways. Some people don’t rise to the occasion, some people crumble under it.

“I like to think that I will rise to the occasion and put a good performance in when I know someone wants my shirt. I think it is only healthy to have competition.”