League One · Regular Season – 14 · DW Stadium
Bromley Fall to Narrow Defeat at DW Stadium Despite Spirited Display
Bromley suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat at the DW Stadium on Saturday afternoon, leaving Wigan with all three points in a League One encounter that ebbed and flowed throughout. The Ravens showed genuine quality and resilience across both halves, but ultimately could not hold on after Bradley Burrowes struck the decisive goal midway through the second half to condemn the Kent side to yet another away loss.
A Bright Start Undone
Bromley made the perfect start when Kamari Antonio Grant broke the deadlock in just the sixth minute, giving the visitors an early lead and silencing the home support. It was an encouraging opening statement from a side that arrived at Wigan needing points badly. However, the lead lasted only twelve minutes. Christian Saydee levelled for Wigan on 18 minutes, with Connor Barrett providing the assist, and the momentum quickly shifted in favour of the hosts. K’Marni Miller then put Wigan ahead on 23 minutes, leaving Bromley with a mountain to climb before the interval.
To their enormous credit, the Ravens refused to go into the break behind. George Saville struck on the stroke of half-time to restore parity at 2-2, ensuring the teams went in level and giving Bromley genuine belief that something could be salvaged from the afternoon. It was a crucial moment that kept the visitors very much in the contest.
Second Half Drama and a Costly Turning Point
The second half began with both sides sensing an opportunity, but it was Wigan who landed the decisive blow. Bradley Burrowes, again assisted by the influential Connor Barrett, fired the hosts into a 3-2 lead on 58 minutes — a goal that ultimately proved to be the winner. Bromley pushed hard for an equaliser but were unable to find a way through, despite registering 16 shots across the match.
The closing stages grew increasingly fractious. Corey Whitely received a yellow card on 65 minutes, followed by bookings for John Joshua Mckiernan on 76 minutes, William Hondermarck on 80 minutes, and Markus Ifill on 83 minutes. George Saville was also cautioned deep into stoppage time. The accumulation of cards reflected the tension and frustration of a side that knew the points were slipping away despite their efforts. Wigan’s Reggie Walsh and Connor Barrett also picked up bookings, but the hosts managed the closing stages well enough to see out the result.
Tactical Observations
Bromley lined up in a 4-1-4-1 formation against Wigan’s 5-3-2, and the statistics told an interesting story. Wigan dominated possession with 61 per cent to Bromley’s 39 per cent, and the hosts managed 13 shots with 8 on target. Yet Bromley actually registered more shots overall — 16 in total — though only 4 found the target. It was a familiar tale of a side working hard against the run of play but lacking the clinical edge to convert their opportunities when it mattered most.
Saville Shines in Defeat
If there was a silver lining for Bromley supporters, it came in the form of George Saville, who stood out as the Ravens’ best performer across the full 90 minutes. The midfielder was a constant presence and capped his display with that vital equaliser just before half-time — a goal that temporarily breathed life back into Bromley’s afternoon. His energy and quality in the middle of the park gave the visitors a platform to work from, and he was rightly recognised as Bromley’s standout individual on the day, earning a match rating of 7.38. His late yellow card was an unfortunate footnote to an otherwise impressive personal performance.
The Bigger Picture
The defeat leaves Bromley in a deeply concerning position. The Ravens sit 22nd in League One on 9 points from 12 matches played, firmly in the relegation zone. With Barnsley just below them on 8 points and Peterborough immediately above on 10 points, every fixture now carries enormous weight. The margin for error is vanishingly small, and the Ravens will need to find greater consistency — and clinical finishing — if they are to drag themselves clear of danger in the weeks ahead.
Players involved
Kamari Antonio Grant#21
Christian Saydee#38
Connor Barrett#2
K’Marni Miller#21
Adam Jackson#45
Omar Sowunmi#5
George Saville#6
Reggie Walsh#10
Scott Hogan#25
Dara James Morgan Costelloe#11
corey whitely#18Mikel Miller#21
Richard Taylor#3
Jodi Jones#10
Ethon Archer#7
John Joshua Mckiernan#28
Michael Cheek#9
Victor Adeboyejo#20
Max Power#8
Jon Mellish#22
William Hondermarck#16
Markus Ifill#12
Morgan Fox#3Match timeline
6′ ⚽ Kamari Antonio Grant
18′ ⚽ Christian Saydee (assist: Connor Barrett)- 23′ ⚽ K’Marni Miller
- 32′ 🔄 Adam Jackson (assist: Omar Sowunmi)
- 45′ ⚽ George Saville
- 56′ 🟨 Reggie Walsh
- 58′ ⚽ Bradley Burrowes (assist: Connor Barrett)
- 64′ 🔄 Christian Saydee (assist: Scott Hogan)
- 64′ 🔄 Reggie Walsh (assist: Dara James Morgan Costelloe)
- 65′ 🟨 corey whitely
- 68′ 🔄 Mikel Miller (assist: Richard Taylor)
- 73′ 🔄 Jodi Jones (assist: Ethon Archer)
- 74′ 🔄 corey whitely (assist: John Joshua Mckiernan)
- 74′ 🔄 Michael Cheek (assist: Victor Adeboyejo)
- 76′ 🟨 John Joshua Mckiernan
- 77′ 🔄 Max Power (assist: Jon Mellish)
- 80′ 🟨 William Hondermarck
- 82′ 🟨 Connor Barrett
- 83′ 🟨 Markus Ifill
- 90′ 🔄 K’Marni Miller (assist: Morgan Fox)
- 90′ 🟨 George Saville
Starting lineups
Wigan (5-3-2)
41. J. Whitworth, 2. C. Barrett, 6. J. Weir, 23. J. Carragher, 5. F. Burns, 21. K’Marni Miller, 8. M. Power, 10. R. Walsh, 27. B. Burrows, 18. Charlie Gray, 38. C. Saydee
Manager: G. Caldwell
Bromley (4-1-4-1)
1. G. Smith, 12. Marcus Lemar Ifill, 45. A. Jackson, 21. Kamari Antonio Grant, 11. M. Pinnock, 6. G. Saville, 10. J. Jones, 16. W. Hondermarck, 18. C. Whitely, 19. M. Miller, 9. M. Cheek
Manager: Byron Webster
Man of the match — Bromley
Match statistics
| Wigan | Stat | Bromley |
|---|---|---|
| 61% | Ball Possession | 39% |
| 13 | Total Shots | 16 |
| 8 | Shots On Goal | 4 |
| 4 | Shots Off Goal | 5 |
| 1 | Blocked Shots | 7 |
| 8 | Shots Insidebox | 10 |
| 5 | Shots Outsidebox | 6 |
| 4 | Corner Kicks | 6 |
| 12 | Fouls | 16 |
| 2 | Yellow Cards | 5 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 2 | Goalkeeper Saves | 5 |
| 453 | Total Passes | 271 |
| 363 | Passes Accurate | 189 |
| 2.42 | Expected Goals | 1.64 |
Where Bromley sit in League One
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 |  Blackpool | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 11 |
| 21 |  Peterborough | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -10 | 10 |
| 22 | Bromley | 12 | 2 | 3 | 7 | -19 | 9 |
| 23 |  Barnsley | 11 | 2 | 2 | 7 | -10 | 8 |
| 24 | Wigan | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | -12 | 7 |
Match data via api-football. Lineups, stats, ratings and league standings sourced live from the official feed at the time of publication.