DANIEL Parslow hailed York City’s “best performance of the season” following the desperately unlucky 2-0 defeat at Premier League Bolton Wanderers.

City more than matched their top-flight hosts before England international Kevin Davies capitalised on a Parslow mistake to open the scoring on 83 minutes.

Sweden striker Johan Elmander then added a second goal six minutes later but Parslow, who fared well in his personal battle with Bulgarian international and former Manchester City winger Martin Petrov, felt the Minstermen deserved at least a replay for their efforts.

He said: “They’re all top players but I thought we kept our shape well and looked really organised and disciplined.

“We were playing a Premier League side so maybe you do get that bit more time on the ball but, while they gave us some respect, we lapped it up.

“It was disappointing not to get at least a draw because I thought we really deserved that. We had some brilliant chances and, in my opinion, played the best we have done all season. We came so close but so far I suppose. They clearly did not want another game against us because they brought on their two main centre forwards and I guess it paid off for them.”

Davies bagged his eighth goal of the season after Parslow could only divert Sam Ricketts’ cross to the far post into the 34-year-old forward’s firing range.

But the City right-back claimed that he was powerless to prevent his miscued clearance after an off-putting deflection.

“It was a point blank reaction,” he explained. “It hit Davies’ head and then my shin. I couldn’t do anything about it and just tried to get out of the way of the ball really so it was disappointing that it fell to his feet and he put it away.”

Parslow was in no mood for pity, though, at the final whistle and stressed the importance immediately of preparing properly for tomorrow night’s Blue Square Bet Premier home clash with Grimsby Town.

He said: “We’ve got to get over Bolton now and look forward to playing Grimsby. There’s no point dwelling on Saturday and I don’t think we will do.

“We can also take confidence from our performance at Bolton because we proved we can hold our own against some of the best players in the country.”