DAVID McNiven's tangerine dream turned into a nightmare last night as York City suffered a black night at Bootham Crescent.

City's leading goalscorer was hoping to put one over an old friend and his father's former employers when Blackpool came to town. But instead the Minstermen put on a horror show and lost 2-0.

"It was the poorest performance we've put on this season," said the nine-goal marksman, whose father, also called David, played for Blackpool for over a year in the early 1980s.

"It's a shame it's come in this match because I was really looking forward to it."

McNiven, 22, used to live near Blackpool and played for the same junior club as Sunderland star Gavin McCann as well as Tangerines midfielder John Hills.

However, it was Hills who had the last laugh last night, not only winning the game but also setting up Blackpool's second goal, crossing for the unmarked Ian Hughes to head home.

"We were all up for it and I wanted to win more than anybody but it did not happen for us," said McNiven, who denied the defeat was a result of Tuesday's exertions in the FA Cup win at Reading.

"It had possibly something to do with that, but there's no excuse to play like that. It was just one of those things. We just played badly.

"We were playing for a win to kick off our Christmas and take good points from the four games in ten days, but it wasn't to be. It was not the start to Christmas we wanted.

"We've really got to pick ourselves up now and get three points on Boxing Day (at Macclesfield).

"We want to be in a position to get into the play-offs or at least a top ten finish.

"Macclesfield are a good side. They were pushing for a play-off place last season but hopefully we will nick three points."

peter.martini@ycp.co.uk