AFTER the high comes the low.

If the York City faithful went to Bootham Crescent last night expecting another early Christmas present to add to the FA Cup win at Reading on Tuesday, then they were left unwrapping the equivalent of an empty cardboard box.

In other words, while the hope before the kick-off was tangible, the 90 minutes that followed was simply Tangerine, as Blackpool outplayed, outfought and outfoxed a City side perhaps still recovering from their exertions three nights earlier.

Indeed, the Minstermen followed up possibly their best performance of the season with potentially their worst and were rewarded for it with a 2-0 reverse that, if anything, flattered them.

Although striker Chris Iwelumo - who broke his goalscoring duck for City in Tuesday's 3-1 win - blazed one good chance over and put another wide in the space of four first-half minutes, the Minstermen rarely troubled visiting 'keeper Phil Barnes.

Their approach play was disappointing and when they did occasionally get in the positions to send balls into the danger areas, the final cross or pass was either poor or easily dealt with by a defence that, at other times this season, have not been the most secure.

Blackpool, on the other hand, knocked the ball around at times as if it was a practice match and if it wasn't for two outstanding saves by Alan Fettis - and a controversial decision by referee Neale Barry to show Darren Patterson a yellow rather than red card - they could have doubled their lead.

Indeed, if Steve McMahon's mid-table side have endured a Jeckyll and Hyde season, then last night saw Dr Jeckyll keep his alter-ego under wraps.

Paul Simpson's luxurious left foot was at the centre of most good things in the game.

He curled an early effort just past the top right angle of Alan Fettis' goal and on 26 minutes his magic outside the area preceded Blackpool's opener.

The former Manchester City and Wolves winger tricked his way through a crowd before attempting to chip Fettis from 18 yards, and although the 'keeper stretched to catch the ball, his throw out to Graham Potter only put the home defence back in trouble.

Lee Collins won the ball too easily from the City left wing-back and his cross saw the unmarked Brett Ormerod head home his 11th goal of the season.

It could have been worse for City before half-time as Patterson, a hero on his debut at Reading, was lucky not to be sent off in only his second full game in six months, after clipping Phil Clarkson's heels when the Blackpool midfielder had been put in the clear by Simpson.

The Northern Ireland international's claims that he couldn't get out of the way as Clarkson cut in front of him went down well with the official, who let him off with a booking.

In the final minute of the half, that man Simpson then sent John Hills away but he couldn't quite control the ball in another let-off for the hosts.

Four minutes after the break, Fettis pulled off a world-class save to keep City in the match.

Blackpool striker John Murphy latched onto Ormerod's flick from half-way and, one on one with the 'keeper, let fly a low drive from 15 yards out, but City's number one - who had also blocked an Ormerod drive from a tight angle early in the first half - dived to his right to stop the shot one-handed before stretching to catch the rebound.

Murphy stood in disbelief that he had not notched his 14th goal of the season.

City briefly came back into it around the hour mark as Iwelumo firstly knocked down to Mathie only to see his strike partner fail to connect six yards out, and then superbly made room for Mathie to fire in a cross that Kevin Hulme could not reach at the far post.

Iwelumo also headed over a Potter corner but it needed another fine Fettis save at the other end to keep the score 1-0, as he denied Ormerod with his feet from six yards out.

James Turley came on for City and his snappy runs down the right made a slight difference but every hand manager Terry Dolan played - he changed the formation, switched the players and moved things round - came to nothing.

Substitute Colin Alcide, on at the break for an injured Mark Bower, saw a header from an 81st-minute Potter corner saved on the line by Barnes, but just a minute later, Blackpool made the game safe.

Hills' cross from the left found Ian Hughes in enough acres of space to open a farm and he buried a free header into the right corner of the net. City's vain appeals for offside were borne of desperation rather than expectation.

In the dying seconds Iwelumo set up McNiven but his first shot was blocked and his second trickled wide after taking a slight deflection. After such a great night on Tuesday, this final act, like the contest as a whole, was all quite depressing.

No wonder manager Terry Dolan was frustrated.

City Match Facts

Nationwide League Division Three

Friday, December 22, 2000

York City 0, Blackpool 2

York City: Alan Fettis 7; Mark Sertori 6, Darren Patterson 6, Mark Bower 6 (Colin Alcide, HT, 6); Marc Thompson 6, Graham Potter 5; Kevin Hulme 5, Steve Agnew 5 (Scott Jordan, HT, 6); David McNiven 5, Chris Iwelumo 6, Alex Mathie 5 (James Turley, 73mins)

Subs, not used: Russ Howarth, Neville Stamp

Booked: Patterson, foul, 42mins

Sent off: None

BLACKPOOL: Phil Barns; Danny Coid, Ian Hughes, Brian Reid, Tommy Jaszczun; Paul Simpson, Lee Collins, Phil Clarkson, John Hills; John Murphy, Brett Ormerod

Subs, not used: Steve Bushell, Richard Wellens, Phil Thompson, Adam Nowland, Jon Kennedy

Booked: Ormerod, dissent, 85mins

Sent off: None

Scorers: Ormerod 27mins, Hughes 82mins

Evening Press/Unique Pub Man of the Match: ALAN FETTIS

Whereas virtually every player deserved the award at Reading on Tuesday, nobody merited the accolade last night. But Alan Fettis gets the nod for two superb saves

Match Stats - York

Half-time 0

Corners 4

Shots on target 2

Fouls committed 10

Match Stats - Blackpool

Half-time 1

Corners 2

Shots on target 6

Fouls committed 12

Attendance: 2,705

Referee: Neale Barry (Scunthorpe)

City's next match: Tuesday, December 26, v Macclesfield, Nationwide League Div 3 at Moss Rose Ground, ko 3pm.