Chesterfield battle back to pile the misery on City
After a horror run, which has now seen City lose 13 of their last 16 games, Pearce had hoped for a much-needed respite at Saltergate. Instead, even more misery was lurking in the Derbyshire hills as first Caleb Folan levelled Georgios Samaras’ first-half opener, before Derek Niven volleyed home a magnificent winner. Try as they might, the strongest side Pearce had available to him failed to find an equaliser, allowing Chesterfield to add their name to a long list of lower-league foes who have embarrassed the Blues in cup combat, including Oldham and Doncaster in the last two seasons alone.
Having experienced a similar fate, to similar standard opposition at Belle Vue at the same stage of last season’s competition, this sinking feeling is not a new one for Pearce.
However, 12 months ago, the former England skipper was still basking in an extended honeymoon period. Now, the knives are being sharpened by some sections of the Blues support, who know their team could fall into the drop zone if they lose at home to West Ham on Sunday.
A shock hardly looked on the cards in the opening minutes as City looked to capitalise on their early superiority.
Joey Barton should have provided Samaras with a more straightforward route to goal rather than force the striker wide from a routine lay-off.
But Samaras was still able to cut inside and looked like scoring until Reuben Hazell slid in to block.
Corradi almost capitalised on a Hazell mistake shortly afterwards but it proved to be City’s last chance for a while as Chesterfield got on top.
City made their enthusiastic opponents pay for missed opportunities on their next attack, Corradi rising highest to reach Micah Richards’ right-wing cross.
The Italian was unfortunate not to score himself but Samaras was on hand to bundle home the rebound as the header came bouncing off the post.
It was Samaras’ first goal of the season and the first by any City striker, enough, it seemed to ease the Blues passage into the next round.
However, Chesterfield’s stout resolve saw the Spireites level within five minutes of the re-start.
Nicky Weaver made an ill-advised attempt to punch clear when former Manchester United man Phil Picken curled a free-kick into the City box.
Weaver never got near it as Folan nodded into the bottom corner.
If that was bad for City, worse was to follow as Claudio Reyna’s clearing header from Allott’s cross fell perfectly for Niven, who rasped a superb right-footed volley into the top corner to send Chesterfield through and leave Pearce frantically hoping the Blues board continue to stand by him.
Roche, Picken, Hazell, Downes, Bailey, Hall, Niven, Allott, Hurst, Folan, Shaw (Allison 78).
Weaver, Richards, Dunne, Distin, Jordan (Dickov 84), Reyna (Miller 71), Barton, Hamann (Ireland 78), Sinclair, Samaras, Corradi.
K Wright (Cambridgeshire).
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