Sam Kerr opened the scoring at Plough Lane in front of a Conti Cup record of 8,004 fans when City goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck dropped a cross at the feet of our No20, who made no mistake in slotting home.

However, 15 minutes after the interval we found ourselves trailing, when Caroline Weir and Ellen White scored two goals in quick succession.

City got their third and final goal through Weir again as the Manchester side clinched their fourth Conti Cup trophy.

Speaking to the media at full-time Hayes said: ‘It was a game of two halves.

‘I thought we looked tired in the second half. Ultimately, I think we didn't win the game because we didn’t keep the ball well enough. I felt that throughout the 90 minutes, and even if we pressed well in the first half, our best situations came in transition because I don’t think we did enough in possession of the ball in a controlled way and I think that probably took something out of us.

‘When it went 1-1 the momentum shifted,’ Hayes explained.

‘We’ve been undefeated against them 10 times, today is their day. Congratulations, I think they’re worthy winners because of their performance and I think we lacked players today. I think it showed.'

The Blues were missing a number of key players through injury, while Hayes revealed Jessie Fleming missed out due to contracting Covid-19.

‘You can’t underestimate the importance of Jessie Fleming, Erin Cuthbert, Fran Kirby, Magda Eriksson, Melly Leupolz and Maren Mjelde. I thought it was one game too many for us. Still, with that inexperience, they get a taste of playing in a final for some of them. The better team won over 90 minutes.

‘Man City have had a woeful season until now so credit to them, to bounce back from a really, really tough start, but it’s just one of three that we’re competing for.

‘I’m disappointed because this game’s down in London, good crowd here but I didn’t enjoy our performance in the second half.

‘In the first half we should have taken our chances, when we were on top. When you play this type of opponent, you’ve got to go one, two-nil up and put yourself in a strong position. I thought we were so dominant in what we were trying to do, I don’t think we capitalised when we should have.’

Hayes added how momentum played a huge factor in the second half, and how difficult it is from a coach's perspective to deal with that.

‘Momentum is so difficult to coach against, it’s the hardest thing. I felt every ball dropped to them. That’s what I mean about momentum, sometimes it’s difficult to get in the way of it. They get the first attack of the second half, goal. They get the second attack, goal. And all of a sudden the game’s drifting in another direction. Third is a corner, goal. Game over. And that’s how football is, sometimes it works in your favour and sometimes it doesn’t.'

The boss was full of praise for the Blues fans who made themselves heard inside Plough Lane, cheering the team on throughout the 90 minutes.

‘They were brilliant, they’re always brilliant and I think that’s something we’ve done really well over the years, build that fanbase up. I’m disappointed that we didn’t take it home to them.’

Attention now turns back to the Barclays FA Women’s Super League as the Blues travel to West Ham United on Thursday, as the race for the title gets hotter.

‘We’ve got the harder run-in to Arsenal, but I think you can only take one moment at a time, one game at a time. I just hope I can get some more bodies back for Thursday but I don’t expect it will be the two that I’ve mentioned Jessie Fleming and Fran Kirby.

Thursday’s game against the Irons kicks off at 7:45pm (UK time) and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.