Bromley 3-1 Walsall

Coming into the game, the Ravens were already assured of promotion but the title was still up for grabs. Both Bromley and Oxford had veterans in their side. Thirty-nine year old Bromley captain Bryon Webster made his final appearance before retiring while the visitors had Albert Adomah wearing shirt number thirty-seven, his age at the start of the season before his birthday earlier this year.

In the early stages, the visitors looked the more dangerous and a scramble in their six box ended with Daniel Kanu unable to turn it home. A deep corner by Mason Hancock picked out Aaron Pressley but the angle was against him and he headed wide then Adomah crossed, Pressley headed down and Grant Smith was called upon to make a low save.

Ben Thompson sliced a shot well off target for the hosts before news filtered through that Fleetwood were one up. That seemed to give Bromley an energy boost and the Saddlers picked up three yellow cards in six minutes as they struggled to keep the hosts at bay. Ashley Charles fired a free kick over, then a Mitch Pinnock dead ball delivery was headed into the side netting by Omar Sowunmi.

Jude Arthurs had a shot deflected over before Bromley went ahead. Pinnock’s corner from the right was recycled and Thompson made space to ease in from the left with a clever turn before smashing his effort into the back of the net from twenty yards.

Grant made a great save from Pressley’s header after he had got on the end of Adomah’s cross just as news came through that MK Dons had equalised in their game. Arthurs skied a shot and Myles Roberts caught it before home grown Arthurs was unable turn it home after Nicke Kabamba had nodded down a Correy Whitely cross.

Early in the second half both goalkeepers were called into action. Courtney Clarke’s shot from twenty-five yards drew a good save out of Smith before Roberts made a brilliant tip over from Arthurs.

On the hour mark, the Ravens gave themselves breathing space when Mitch Pinnock’s shot from the right evaded Roberts and nestled in the bottom corner. If Andy Woodman’s team thought that it was going to be plain sailing from then on, those ideas were shelved when Walsall pulled one back two minutes later. Alex Pattison slid it to the far post and substitute Jid Okeke finished from close range.

Jamie Jellis had a shot deflected over for the visitors before Bromley restored their two goal lead when Pinnock delivered a deep corner and Sowunmi rose to power home an unstoppable header.

Aaron Loupalo-Bi shot inches wide for the visitors before a training ground move almost paid dividends for Bromley when Pinnock’s corner found Charles on the edge of the penalty area and his fierce drive flew back out off a defender. Kabamba had a shot deflected over then Clarke failed to keep his curler down at the other end.

As the match moved into the last ten minutes, Bromley’s supporters wee multi-tasking, watching the game while monitoring the events at Fleetwood on their mobile phones. Their players, however, concentrated on what they could affect and twice came close to scoring again. Pinnock’s twenty-five yard free kick was turned round the post by Roberts. Then, after Roberts had made an incredible double save, it fell to Thompson whose drive towards the far post was cleared off the line by Vincent Harper.

When Bromley’s match finished, they had to wait for a couple of minutes before the news that Fleetwood and MK Dons had finished at one apiece so Bromley’s celebrations as champions could start.

Bromley: Smith; Ifill (Krauhaus 85), Sowunmi, Webster. Odutayo; Arthurs, Charles; Whiteley, Thompson, Pinnock; Kabamba. Subs not used: Long, Medley, Cameron, Hondermarck, Ilunga, Evans.