Chesterfield won the match 2–0 with first-half goals from Tony Lormor and Phil Robinson to gain promotion back to the third tier of English football five seasons after being relegated.

Chesterfield finished two points behind Walsall (who were promoted in second place) and ten behind league winners Carlisle United.

The visiting side took the lead in the 40th minute when David Pugh received a pass from Nick Daws before striking the ball from 10 yards (9.1 m), past Preston North End goalkeeper John Vaughan.

After a goalless first half, Phil Robinson gave Chesterfield the lead in the 64th minute after out-pacing the Mansfield Town defence and scoring past Darren Ward in goal.

Stewart Hadley levelled the score eight minutes later when he struck from the edge of the Chesterfield penalty area after the defence failed to clear a free kick, and the match ended 1–1.

[6] Bury had participated in play-offs on two previous occasions, losing in the semi-finals in both: 2–0 on aggregate to Tranmere Rovers in 1990 and 2–1 over the two legs to Bolton Wanderers in 1991.

[4] In the two matches between the sides during the regular season, Bury had won 2–1 at Gigg Lane in September 1994 while the return fixture at Saltergate the following March ended in a goalless draw.

[8] Chesterfield's manager John Duncan had led the team to promotion in a previous spell in charge as champions of the Fourth Division in the 1984–85 season.

[10] Among the substitutes for Chesterfield was the 43-year-old commercial manager of the club, Jim Brown, as Billy Stewart, their third-choice goalkeeper, was in the starting line-up.

In the 41st minute, Chesterfield doubled their lead: Law sent in another long throw-in and Robinson headed it into the Bury net despite the attention of a number of defenders.