Walsall made their way to the Cherry Red Records Stadium on Saturday afternoon as they took on AFC Wimbledon in their final game of the 2023/24 League Two season.
Still holding an outside chance of making the post-season Play-Offs, the Saddlers were looking to bounce back from last weekend's defeat to Bradford City and make a late leap into the prized places.
Unfortunately for the Saddlers, the first goal of the game went the way of the Dons as Omar Bugiel opened the scoring with a well-placed header after nine minutes of play, denting the Saddlers' early hopes.
Walsall were handed an opportunity to put the game back on level terms as Mo Faal was felled inside the area with Isaac Hutchinson happy to oblige from the spot.
The Dons went back into the lead ten minutes before the break as Bugiel grabbed his second of the game as, assisted by Lee Brown for a second time, he slipped the ball past Jackson Smith and into the back of the net.
The fourth goal of the game was also scored by the Dons as Omar Bugiel completed his hat-trick to add to the Saddlers' already increasing woes.
Ronan Curtis was the next Don to see an effort hit the back of the net as Walsall looked to be capitulating on the final day of the season.
Walsall's afternoon went from bad to worse a couple of minutes after the match reached the hour mark as Mo Fall headed the ball into his own net, gifting the Dons their fifth goal of the game.
SKY BET LEAGUE TWO
| WIMBLEDON | 5-1 | WALSALL |
| BUGIEL (9') BUGIEL (34') BUGIEL (52') CURTIS (55') FAAL [OG] (62') |
GOALSCORERS |
HUTCHINSON [P] (25') |
| BROWN (9') BROWN (34') BALMER (52') BUGIEL (55') |
ASSISTS |
|
| 52 | POSS (%) | 48 |
| 6 | SHOTS (TOTAL) | 17 |
| 5 | SHOTS (ON TARGET) | 3 |
| 2 | CORNERS | 3 |
| 8 | FOULS | 10 |
| 0 | YELLOW CARDS | 1 |
| 0 | RED CARDS | 0 |
| AT | CHERRY RED RECORDS STADIUM |
| ATTENDANCE | 8,623 (1,211 WALSALL) |
| REFEREE | SCOTT OLDHAM |
AFC WIMBLEDON
Tzanev; Brown, Reeves, Balmer (Ogundere, 90+3'), R.Johnson, Kelly (JK.Gordon, 90+3'), Ball (Pell, 65'), Bugiel (Davison, 80'), Curtis, Currie, Sasu (Neufville, 80')
Unused: M.Foulkes, Biler
WALSALL
Smith; Daniels, Farquharson (Adegboyega, 70'), Allen; Comley; Knowles (Johnson, 81'), Hutchinson, Stirk (Jellis, 59'), L.Gordon; Matt (James-Taylor, 70'), Faal 🟨 (J.Gordon, 70')
Unused: Evans, Tierney