Wycombe Wanderers suffered a poor end to a good week as they suffered a disappointing 3-1 loss to Walsall at a freezing Bescot Stadium.

Goals from Andy Cook, Isaiah Osbourne and a Dominic Gape own goal condemned the Blues to a tough loss on the road.

Hope was given to Wanderers when Walsall defender Liam Leahu scored an own goal of his own to make it 2-1 but it wasn't to be for the Blues.

Walsall had the better of the early exchanges with Morgan Ferrier looking lively on the left at a freezing Bescot Stadium.

Wycombe had a glimpse of goal on eight minutes when Fred Onyedinma burst into the box and his cut-back almost found Craig Mackail-Smith but former Chairboy Russell Martin scrambled it clear.

Wanderers were soaking up the early pressure from the home side and Mackail-Smith had the first shot in anger on 12 minutes when he met Adebayo Akinfenwa’s flick-on but Liam Roberts comfortably saved.

Ferrier was certainly a threat for the Saddlers and his rasping shot on 14 minutes stung the palms of Ryan Allsop.

Paris Cowan-Hall almost gave the Blues the lead on 15 minutes when he beat three men and his curer was parried away by Roberts.

The ball then dropped to the winger again and his long-range strike was brilliantly tipped wide by the Walsall stopper.

The game was really building up a head of steam now and Connor Ronan’s wicked cross on 17 minutes found Ferrier who scuffed his effort at goal.

Mackail-Smith should have given Wycombe the lead on 22 minutes when Cowan-Hall’s superb cross was nodded back across goal by Akinfenwa but the former Peterborough man headed wide from six yards.

The Blues were getting on top and Cowan-Hall came so close on 33 minutes when his shot cannoned off the upright after majestic hold-up play by Akinfenwa.

However, Walsall took the lead slightly against the run of play on 35 minutes when Cook glanced home a header from three yards after a wonderful delivery by Ronan.

That goal buoyed the Saddlers and Kieron Morris had a golden chance on 38 minutes when the excellent Ferrier’s teasing cross found the midfielder who sliced his effort wide.

Both sides made a bright start to the second half with both defences just holding firm.

The Saddlers then got a second goal on 51 minutes after a spell of pressure when Kane Wilson had his shot saved by Allsop but Wilson pulled it back to Osbourne to tap home.

Dean Keates’ side were gunning for a third and Allsop saved well from George Dobson’s 20-yard strike.

Wycombe continued to huff and puff but Walsall were looking solid at the back and limiting any chances for the Chairboys.

Bryn Morris nearly scored a piledriver from 30 yards, his shot a whisker away with Roberts beaten on 68 minutes.

The Chairboys were gradually building the pressure with Akinfenwa having a header cleared on 70 minutes and Morris shooting just over on 74 minutes.

Allsop made a magnificent save on 77 minutes to deny Cook from point-blank range after a mazy run from the striker.

Wycombe then pulled a goal back from an unlikely source on 79 minutes when Akinfenwa looked for Alex Samuel. The substitute put Liam Leahy under real pressure and the defender sliced it into his own net.

However, Walsall sealed the win on 85 minutes when Gape saw the ball ricochet off him and into the Wycombe goal after more good work by Wilson.

Wycombe face Peterborough next Saturday at Adams Park

WYCOMBE WANDERERS: Allsop, Harriman, McCarthy, El-Abd, Jacobson, Cowan-Hall (sub: Kashket, 67), Morris, Thompson (sub: Gape, 77), Onyedinma, Akinfenwa, Mackail-Smith (sub: Samuel, 67). Subs: Ma-Kalambay, Bean, Charles, Freeman.

WALSALL: Roberts, Wilson, Guthrie, Martin, Leahy, Osbourne, Morris, Dobson, Ronan, Ferrier, Cook. Subs: Dunn, Devlin, Ismail, Ginnelly, Kinsella, Johnson, Gordon.

REFEREE: Neil Hair

ATTENDANCE: 4,265 (Wycombe 589)