Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s Ben Smith.
Chesterfield’s 2025 ended in defeat on Monday night, with Cambridge United emerging 1-0 winners from the pair’s League Two meeting.
Shane McLoughlin netted the only goal of the game on 44 minutes; a goal which would ultimately ensure Cambridge left the SMH Group Stadium with all three points.
The Spireites had been rather fortunate to escape with a stoppage-time draw during the reverse running of this fixture played less than three weeks ago, but had since won all three of their matches in the intervening period.
That run mostly recently included a 2-0 victory over Notts County on Boxing Day, one which represented one of Paul Cook’s side’s strongest showings of the season so far.
A repeat performance here would constitute the perfect way to close out the calendar year and the hosts would create two golden opportunities to strike first.
Lee Bonis first rattled the crossbar from a corner and when that loose ball was eventually recycled Jamie Grimes looked for all the world like he would open the scoring, only for the centre-half to plant his header well over.
And the regret of those misses would be compounded when the away side edged in front just before the break, this time defending a set-piece much more assuredly before launching a sweeping counter which McLoughlin would ultimately round off.
The Us may have doubled their advantage just past the hour as substitute Sullay Kaikai ghosted in at the back post only to miscue his effort into the grateful arms of opposition ‘keeper Zach Hemming.
But at the end of a relatively quiet second half one goal would prove enough to separate these two sides this time around, with the visitors successfully avoiding any repeat of their late heartache earlier this month.
For Chesterfield, they’ll look to secure a brighter start to 2026 when they travel to Oldham Athletic on New Year’s Day, before hitting the road again to face MK Dons on January 4.
