GOALKEEPER Alan Fettis believes the disappointment felt following York City's 2-1 defeat at Luton Town underlines the Minstermen's revival is real.

The reverse at Kenilworth Road ended City's four-match unbeaten run and denied City the chance of celebrating a hat-trick of wins for the first time this season.

Increasing the sense of frustration for the Minstermen was the fact City had taken a deserved lead against Joe Kinnear's high-flying side. However, Luton were back on level terms within minutes through Steve Howard, who grabbed his and Luton's second six minutes into the second-half.

Fettis admitted the fact City felt aggrieved at losing to a Luton team heading for the Second Division was a positive.

"We are disappointed because we had this run going and we wanted to keep the momentum going," he explained.

"But that has got to be a good sign that we are so disappointed.

"If we had come here earlier in the season, around November or December when confidence was low, we could have got spanked.

"But that was never going to to happen with our confidence as it is now.

"I thought we played the better football. Right from the start we got it down and passed it."

To add insult to injury for City and Fettis was the fact Howard's winning goal had more than an element of good fortune.

According to Fettis, Adrian Forbes' cross got caught by the wind and as Howard went to head the ball it actually hit his knee, catching the City shot-stopper by surprise.

A wrong-footed Fettis was able to get a hand to the ball but could not keep it out.

City manager Terry Dolan echoed the sense of disappointment. "I didn't think we deserved to lose," said the City chief. "That is two games this season where we have been every bit as good as Luton.

"Unfortunately, it is not just over two games, it is over 30-odd at the moment and Luton have got 60-odd points and we have got 30-odd. That is the difference."

Dolan handed second-year youth trainee Stuart Wise his Football League debut.

With Matt Hocking suspended, the 17-year-old defender was rewarded for a storming display for the reserves with a place on the bench at Kenilworth Road.

He was given his chance ten minutes into the second-half when Mike Basham suffered a dead-leg and had to be withdrawn.

"If somebody goes off injured or misses a game through suspension then it gives someone else an opportunity," said Dolan.

Striker Peter Duffield also limped from the fray with a foot injury. While Basham may shake off his injury in time for tomorrow's visit of Carlisle Duffield is a doubt.

Updated: 11:48 Monday, February 25, 2002