MANCHESTER City crashed to an embarrassing defeat against League One Doncaster on penalties in the Carling Cup.

The game finished goalless in normal time but City took the lead thanks to a Darius Vassell penalty in the first half of extra-time.

However, two controversial incidents took the game away from City.

First Nedum Onuoha was sent off for a seemingly legitimate challenge on goalkeeper Andy Warrington before Doncaster were awarded a dubious penalty which Michael McIndoe despatched.

In the shoot-out Vassell, Antoine Sibierski and Richard Dunne missed to hand the home side victory.

The defeat brings Stuart Pearce’s honeymoon period as City boss to an abrupt end but leaves opposite number Dave Penney celebrating one of the most famous nights in the South Yorkshire club’s entire history.

There was no sign of the drama to come in an opening 90 minutes which were nowhere near as eventful as the two side’ previous encounter in a pre-season friendly at the start of last term.

It was one of the new boys on show, young midfielder Stephen Ireland, who created the first chance with a forceful run to the edge of Doncaster’s box.

Breakthrough

Ireland has been tipped to make the first-team breakthrough this term and having made the hard yards, he had the presence of mind to feed Antoine Sibierski, whose shot was blocked by Warrington in one of the first half's few chances.

Pearce clearly used the break to administer a few choice words and City restarted with a sense of purpose which had been lacking in the first-half.

Sun Jihai had a weak header saved but it was Ireland who impressed the most with his forceful midfield bursts.

It was one of his deflected efforts which caused Warrington a moment of anxiety as City began to seize control in the final 15 minutes.

Before that though, James had fumbled a James Coppinger strike, to the glee of the home fans who barracked the deposed England goalkeeper throughout.

Reyna wasted two half chances before, as the game entered stoppage time, Sun passed up the best chance of the entire match, striding on to Lee Croft’s square ball completely unmarked but then blasting against the bar.

Life

The game came to life in extra-time with two penalties and a sending off.

The partisan crowd erupted in anger when referee Graham Salisbury pointed to the spot when Richard Dunne’s surge into the area was ended by Phil McGuire’s shove.

Yet the contact appeared obvious enough and once tempers had eased, Vassell strode up and smashed the ball home.

With Doncaster tiring, it looked like the end of their challenge, particularly as the League One outfit mustered barely nothing in response.

Yet new life was breathed into their hopes in the most unfortunate manner possible in the final minute of the opening period of extra-time.

When Nedum Onuoha slid in on Warrington after briefly losing control of the ball inside Doncaster’s area, the contact appeared accidental.

Brandished

Salisbury thought otherwise and immediately brandished a red card. Whatever the rights and wrongs of that decision, the damage was extensive and Warrington was carried off with a suspected broken leg.

Once home heads had cleared, they woke to the realisation they had an extra man, and, as the clock ticked down, they began to use it.

Through sheer numbers being pushed forward, a chance seemed destined to arrive at some stage. But it eventually required another dramatic intervention from Salisbury, who once more pointed to the spot after City skipper Sylvain Distin's challenge.

It was tough luck on Distin, who had looked cultured throughout, but Michael McIndoe wasted no time in rattling home the equaliser, which set up the final drama.

In the shoot-out, stand-in keeper Jan Budtz was the Rovers hero, saving from Sibierski and Dunne after Vassell had hit the bar with his first kick, while McIndoe, Coppinger and Paul Heffernan all scored to take the hosts through.

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