This was another triumphant day for south London at Wembley. Sunday brought Charlton promotion to the Championship and on Monday AFC Wimbledon headed back to League One after three years away, a thump from Myles Hippolyte in first-half stoppage time enough to deny Walsall.
The contest was low on thrills but style is not what makes this occasion grand. Until Hippolyte found the bottom right corner, it had looked a match heading for extra time or penalties, likely to be decided by either Tommy Simkin or Owen Goodman, two impressive young goalkeepers. And while Walsall were shaken into action in the second half, Wimbledon’s solidity shone through with an impenetrable defence. They celebrated victory and a clean sheet, just like they had done at this venue nine years ago against Plymouth, just like the Crazy Gang in 1988.
“I did feel that we deserved it,” said Johnnie Jackson, the Wimbledon manager. “We had the better moments and the goal is the defining moment. We’ve had to be defensively at our best for the last four games. You don’t want it to be 1-0, you want it to be more comfy than that. But sometimes one’s enough if you can defend the way we can.”
This was billed as the division’s leading goalscorers against the tightest defence, Wimbledon having conceded just 35 during the regular season. But that line evades the whole truth; Walsall were free-scoring in the first half of the campaign, 2025 beginning with a 12-point lead at the top, grateful for the 18 goals supplied by the on-loan Nathan Lowe. Then came his recall to Stoke and the ugliest of slides: three wins in their last 21 league matches, automatic promotion denied on the final day by Bradford City’s late win against Fleetwood.
Mat Sadler’s side had enough resolve to advance past an in‑form Chesterfield in the playoff semi-finals, while Wimbledon’s grit was present against Notts County, Goodman, on loan from Crystal Palace, producing two shutouts. There was no need to overthink: both sides strode out unchanged.
Goodman began in front of his own supporters, blue and yellow balloons bouncing away, their voices strong even if the early exchanges were uneventful. Wimbledon were more willing to keep the ball grounded and produced the first strike on target after half an hour, Marcus Browne forcing Simkin to get down low to his left. The neutral could have been forgiven for changing channels.
Wimbledon were the only ones threatening danger, Walsall’s punts forward swept away comfortably by the blue backline. Then came the first true moment of quality, just before the break. Browne’s volley met a block in the area but retreated to Hippolyte inside the D, his first‑time strike into the ground beating the shirts in front as well as Simkin. Walsall had played like a side ready to grind through extra time but urgency was required.
It came quickly in the second half. Nathan Asiimwe’s cross from the right-hand side found Jamille Matt advancing towards the front post, his cute touch guiding the ball through the legs of the onrushing Goodman. But the lack of pace allowed Riley Harbottle to retreat and hack the ball off the line.
Sunshine retreated in place of a steady downpour and the hour-mark brought the introduction of Albert Adomah, 37 years young, and a Championship playoff winner with Aston Villa in 2019. His fellow substitute Levi Amantchi had a dinked effort saved comfortably by Goodman as Walsall finally began to launch waves.
A terrific stop from Simkin denied Josh Neufville from close range as the legs tired and spaces opened up but it would not spur on Walsall. The prestige of the arch could not revive a season that had long lost its way.
“First half, we just didn’t quite impose ourselves on the game in the way we wanted to,” Sadler said. “Second half, I thought we gave it a go and we played the way we want to play. We were a bit braver in possession, showed a bit more courage in trying to work it out wide and just increase the tempo. That’s the way we wanted to play to begin with.
“For us, you have to use these things as motivation and fuel. When you’re stood there and you’re watching those celebrations, it’s like a slow torture if you’re not the one celebrating.”
