Chesterfield battle back to pile the misery on City

LEAGUE ONE Chesterfield piled the pressure on Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce by coming from a goal down to end the Premiership strugglers’ interest in the Carling Cup.

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.