Dons bring in the New Year with a dramatic win over Chesterfield

MK Dons started 2025 in winning style as they held on to claim a dramatic 2-1 win over Chesterfield on New Year’s Day.

Clinical finishing in the first-half saw them take a 2-0 lead into the break, with returning Callum Hendry bagging before Joe White fired in his fifth of the season on the stroke of half-time.

But Hendry left his finishing boots in the dressing room for the second-half, missing a great chance to put the game to bed not long after the restart, before Darren Oldaker smashed in a free-kick with 14 minutes to go to set up a nervous final quarter of an hour.

The Spireites thought they had completed the comeback in stoppage time after a dramatic goal-line scramble, but Dons clung on for their first win in four to start the New Year in style.

Kane Thompson-Sommers, the star performer of Sunday's 1-1 draw with Crewe Alexandra, was a notably absentee for the side which took to the field on New Year's Day, picking up a knock in training, forcing him out of the game in Derbyshire. Scott Hogan meanwhile dropped to the bench as Scott Lindsey handed first league starts since September to Callum Hendry and Ellis Harrison.

The more physical team proved to be exactly what the game required for the visitors, as rain teemed down at the SMG Group Stadium, making for a sticky and unpredictable playing surface. While the hosts, who had lost their last two games heading into 2025, looked to continue their good home record, testing keeper Tom McGill twice via Dilan Markanday and Kane Drummond, it would be one of Dons' changes who would fire them into the lead on 18 minutes.

Taking a quick free-kick to catch the Spireites' defence off-guard, Liam Kelly set Hendry free in behind, and though he had Harrison in support, the former Salford City man cut back onto his left-foot to rifle low past Max Thompson for the opener.

Unlike against Crewe, where Dons took a step back after scoring, Harrison could have added a second two minutes later, unleashing a fierce left-footed volley which Thompson did brilliantly to keep out.

As the midfield battle dominated proceedings, and Drummond sought to pull Dons' defence left and right, Chesterfield threatened with a series of half-chances but on the stroke of half-time, Dons would add a second.

Joe Tomlinson, who barely saw the ball in the opening half but for a wild right-footed strike well wide, did well to keep Aaron Nemane's cross in play down the left, playing it inside to Joe White 30 yards from goal. The Newcastle loanee drove forwards, shrugging off a couple of challenges before firing low through a crowd, rooting Thompson to the spot as the ball nestled in the bottom corner.

Unlike against Crewe, Dons started the second-half brightly, and should have put the game out of reach when Hendry was left unmarked in the centre of goal, picked out by Tomlinson again, only for the frontman to poke harmlessly at Thompson.

It allowed Chesterfield, who had only lost one league game at home all season, to cling onto something as the second-half wore on. Markanday continued to poke and probe and twice came agonisingly close to getting one back but failed to hit the target.

With 14 minutes to go though, Chesterfield would get their reward when Darren Oldaker, who was sent off in the reverse fixture a month earlier, rifled home a free-kick to set up a tense finale.

Chesterfield thought they had drawn level in stoppage time when a goal-line scramble was eventually cleared, not without protests from the home players who had claimed it was over the line, as Dons held on to win.

Referee: Elliot Bell

Attendance: 9,119 (581)

Chesterfield: Thompson, Sheckleford, Naylor, Grimes, Horton (Akinola 85), Oldaker, Markanday, Mandeville, Dobra, Hobson, Drummond (Colclough 65)

Subs not used: Boot, Araujo, Fleck, Cook, Berry

MK Dons: McGill, Sherring, Offord, Lawrence, Nemane, Tomlinson, Kelly (Williams 80), White (Carroll 72), Hendry (Lemonheigh-Evans 64), Gilbey, Harrison (Hogan 64)

Subs not used: MacGillivray, Ilunga, Waller

Booked: Harrison, Dobra, Mandeville, Offord, Nemane, Sherring