YORK City boss Billy McEwan has admitted that left-back Dave Merris has been unlucky to lose his place in the struggling side.

Merris was named the Evening Press Player of the Month for November but ended that month by being dropped to the bench for the away match at Morecambe and has not even been named as a substitute during the Minstermen's last two games.

But McEwan has stressed that the former Harrogate Town defender, who was also last season's Evening Press Player of the Year, remains an important part of his first-team plans and could earn a recall for the Boxing Day game at home to Scarborough if his replacement Evan Horwood fails to recover from a knee problem.

The on-loan Sheffield United full-back picked up the injury during Saturday's 2-1 FA Trophy home defeat to Northwich Victoria and, should Horwood fail to recover, McEwan would have no qualms about bringing Merris back into the fold, saying: "Dave has been unlucky and I know what I am getting from him. He is learning all the time and he's a good player who can become a decent player if he keeps working at his game.

"He's my type of player to a certain extent because he's a 100 per cent player, who's a great lad, low maintenance and wants to be a player."

Club captain Mark Hotte could also start his first senior match since fracturing his shoulder in October when City entertain his former club Scarborough on Boxing Day.

McEwan may be tempted to opt for Hotte's experience despite his lack of match fitness after his young team lost their sixth game during a seven-match win-less run on Saturday.

The City boss said: "Mark Hotte needs a few more games but we might need to throw him in at the deep end."

But midfielder Emmanuel Panther is unlikely to play any part in the Minstermen's Christmas and New Year programme having only just returned to training after ankle ligament damage.

Scarborough also have their problems with defender Simon Weaver and attacking midfielder Ian Clark ruled out of the Boxing Day clash through suspension.

Updated: 09:46 Tuesday, December 20, 2005