A record-breaking header from Sam Kerr and a brilliant brace from Lauren James saw us run out 3-1 winners away to Leicester City, with the three points securing our qualification for next year's Women's Champions League.
Chelsea visited a Leicester side who had already sealed their fate as the bottom side in the division and, with a place in the Champions League for next season at stake, set about putting pressure on their goal from the first whistle.
It took Kerr 13 minutes to break the deadlock and the club record for WSL goals with her header from a Niamh Charles cross. Meanwhile, James had looked lively from the start, and she made her mark on the encounter with a five-minute brace before half-time. Both were deadly. The first came from open play, while the second flew in from a free-kick on the edge of the area.
The Foxes hit back when Shannon O'Brien pounced on a Lucy Bronze backpass before the break, and after the interval the home side grew in confidence, preventing the Blues from adding to the scoreline further.
This was a professional performance from Chelsea, one where head coach Sonia Bompastor was able to use the full squad at her disposal to seal the victory.
Flying start
Bompastor rung the changes ahead of today's clash, refreshing the line-up with five different starters to the side who beat Everton 4-1 last weekend. Livia Peng came in between the sticks in place of Hannah Hampton, while Kadeisha Buchanan, Wieke Kaptein, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Lexi Potter also returned to the starting XI.
The Blues began brightly, applying pressure on the Leicester backline from minute one. Rytting Kaneryd swung in a cross which almost crept in under the crossbar at the far post, while Kaptein was finding pockets of space through the middle and twirling her way past defenders.
After 13 minutes, we broke the deadlock. Kerr leapt up and seemed to hang in the air as Charles delivered a perfectly-weighted cross into the area. The striker directed her header with such accuracy that goalkeeper Katie Keane stood no chance.
Continuing to press for more, Rytting Kaneryd floated a cross over for Kaptein, who headed her attempt over the bar, while Ellie Carpenter's powerful effort from close range was saved well at the near post by Keane.
James turns on the style
Before the clock had reached 30 minutes, the Blues struck again. James picked up the ball after a layoff from Erin Cuthbert, and she turned defender Emily van Egmond inside out before launching a curling drive from the edge of the penalty area, her strike flying into the top corner.
And when Cuthbert was fouled on the edge of the box soon afterwards, James fancied her luck once again from the free-kick, and she delivered another inch-perfect strike from a central position without even taking a run-up: the second instance of James showing off her sublime talent within a matter of minutes.
Foxes get one back
Even at 3-0 down, the home side were not willing to give up and fired a warning when Peng needed to tip a shot from distance over the bar, but could do nothing when O'Brien latched onto a Bronze backpass and slotted home into an empty net.
After half-time, Rick Passmoor's side looked like they had gained some confidence and had slightly more of the ball.
Bompastor made changes at the break, bringing on Sandy Baltimore and Sjoeke Nusken in place of Cuthbert and James, and the duo were soon looking to get forward and influence our attacking play.
With ten minutes to play, Veerle Buurman, another second-half substitute, stung the gloves of Keane with a strong hit from 20 yards out following some fine build-up play from the team. There were further half-chances for Baltimore and Alyssa Thompson, but the second half saw us see out the crucial victory in a professional manner.
What it means...
We are now guaranteed a top-three finish after opening up a six-point lead over fourth-placed Manchester United with one league game remaining, against the Red Devils at Stamford Bridge.
What comes next...
We take on Manchester City in the Women's FA Cup semi-final at Stamford Bridge on Sunday 10 May at 3.30pm and you can get your tickets for that exciting clash here.
The teams
Chelsea: Peng, Carpenter, Bronze, Buchanan, Charles (Buurman 62), Cuthbert (c) (Nusken h-t), Potter, Kaptein, Rytting Kaneryd (Thompson 62), Kerr (Beever-Jones 62), James (Baltimore h-t)
Unused subs: Hampton, Spencer, Sarwie, Walsh
Scorers: Kerr 13, James 27, 33
Leicester: Keane, Kees (Williams 87), Tierney (c), Van Egmond (Rantala 78), Jansson, Ale (Neville 55), Thibaud, Mayling, Cain (Mouchon 56), O'Brien (Lehmann 55), Swaby
Unused subs: Goodwin, Payne, McLoughlin, Baker
Scorer: O'Brien 42
Booked: Neville 75
Referee: Adewunmi Soneye