Bromley 3-1 Walsall: Saddlers drop to 13th after successive defeats

Walsall ended the season with back-to-back defeats after Bromley secured the League Two title with a 3-1 victory at Hayes Lane.

Ben Thompson’s stunner from distance provided the hosts with the breakthrough in the first half, before Mitch Pinnock’s low drive doubled their lead after 61 minutes.

Jid Okeke pulled one back for Walsall, but Omar Sowumni soon added a third with a back post header.

Bromley lifted the title after MK Dons drew at Fleetwood - while Walsall dropped into 13th-place following Colchester United’s 4-1 win at Cheltenham Town.

Darren Byfield made four changes from the Saddlers’ 2-0 home defeat against Harrogate Town in his final game as interim head coach.

Walsall switched to a 4-4-2 with Aaron Pressley partnering Daniel Kanu in attack and the pair almost combined to provide the breakthrough after 15 minutes.

Courtney Clarke’s long throw caused mayhem inside the box, but Kanu was unable to force Pressley’s eventual hooked ball over the line.

Pressley picked up another pass from deep and sprayed it out wide to Adomah. The Scotsman darted into the box to meet the eventual cross but his tame header was comfortably saved by Grant Smith.

Bromley grew as an attacking threat after the half-hour mark, as Omar Sowumni headed into the side netting and Thompson had a goal-bound effort diverted behind by Aden Flint.

Thompson would not be denied moments later when he spun into space and unleashed a powerful shot beyond a static Roberts from 20 yards out.

Harrison Burke was forced off late in the first half and replaced by Jid Okeke, as Clarke dropped into right-back.

Flint was perhaps lucky to escape a second booking when he tripped Nicke Kabamba, who threatened to break in behind after pouncing on a defensive mix-up.

Roberts produced a fine save to tip Arthurs’ shot over the crossbar, but could only allow Pinnock’s low drive from distance to travel through his gloves for the Ravens’ second just past the hour-mark.

Walsall quickly halved the deficit when substitute Aaron Loupalo-Bi made an immediate impact after squaring for Okeke to tap-in from a matter of yards out.

Sowumni quickly restored Bromley’s two-goal cushion when he ghosted in at the back post to head home Pinnock’s floated corner midway into the second half.

Ashley Charles had a low free-kick turned behind by Roberts as a disappointing campaign for Walsall fizzled out in unceremonious fashion.

Will Etheridge made his senior debut as a late substitute but Bromley almost added a fourth when Roberts clawed a deflected effort off the line, before denying Thompson on the follow-up.

Teams

Walsall (4-4-2): Roberts; Burke (Okeke 44), Lopata, Flint, Hancock (Harper 90); Adomah (Loupalo-Bi 62), Pattison, Lakin (Etheridge 90), Clarke; Kanu, Pressley (Jellis 62).

Not used: Hornby, Comley.

Bromley (4-3-3): Smith; Ifill (Krauhaus 85), Webster, Sowumni, Odutayo; Arthurs, Thompson, Charles; Whitely, Kabamba, Pinnock.

Not used: Long, Medley, Cameron, Hondermarck, Ilunga, Evans.

Other details

Referee: Scott Jackson