The match was not over yet, not officially anyway. At least two minutes remained, whatever extra time was deemed appropriate for a match that had distilled into relentless one-way traffic.
Yet as Sam Kerr fired home Chelsea's third goal of the day – picking up her own rebound to slot home, an uncharacteristic blunder made characteristically good – the Select Car Leasing Stadium’s tannoy figured it was time; the inevitable had arrived, even if the final whistle hadn't.
“Running onto the pitch is a criminal offence” its booming voice warned as it dubbed Chelsea “deserving champions” to the raucous approval of the travelling Blues fans.
