The game billed by some as the Women's Super League title-decider finished in a rare goalless draw at a chilly Kingsmeadow, leaving the race still wide open.
Arsenal and Chelsea Women cancelled each other out, with the Gunners bossing the first half and the Blues edging it in the second.
An absorbing tactical duel ended in passionate shouts by Chelsea for a late penalty halfway through the eight minutes of stoppage time that ref Becky Welch added.
"Eight minutes?" screamed the 3,330-strong crowd in a disbelieving collective howl as the additional playing spell was announced, and the air temperature sank below zero.
"I thought a draw was fair; we struggled in the first half. We created more big chances in the second half, but the talking point will be the penalty that wasn't given," said Emma Hayes.
It felt, she added, like the seventh game in 21 days. "The accumulation (of games) told for us. We weren't free-flowing going forward, but we were rock-solid defensively."
Until someone in the ivory towers of football evens out the peaks and troughs in fixtures, the women’s league will never be taken as seriously as it deserves. Long gaps between games kill the excitement, and a more consistent, regular pattern is needed.
Before the game began, Millie Bright (captain on the night as Magda Eriksson is still not back from injury) was given a framed shirt to mark 200 appearances for the Blues.
Erin Cuthbert ran her socks off for Chelsea, but picked up an injury and collapsed on the ground with 57 minutes played. Hayes later blamed a tight hamstring.
Arguably Arsenal had the closest chances overall. Viv Miedema struck the post in the first half, and there were several goalmouth melees involving desperate Chelsea clearances from inswinging corners.
Frustratingly, there is now a long lag in league action, although Chelsea have an FA Cup tie and the Conti Cup final in the meantime... more than enough to keep the fans excited.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
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