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Chelsea's hopes of retaining the WSL title for a seventh straight year are hanging by a thread after a clinical second-half Arsenal showing saw them beaten 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.
After their 34-game unbeaten league run was ended by Everton last month, Chelsea's second defeat in four games gives Manchester City the chance to move nine points clear with as many games remaining when they visit London City Lionesses on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
The Blues were rarely close to their best until the second-half introduction of Lauren James and managed only a single shot on target before the break despite forcing seven corners and finding plenty of room on the flanks, with the final ball lacking for both sides in the opening period.
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Had Arsenal's been better, the Gunners could have led inside 90 seconds when a Katie McCabe shot was palmed out to Stina Blackstenius, whose hesitancy may have cost her an opener before her eventual effort was deflected wide.
Something had to change in a game where a point suited neither side and it did so nine minutes after the interval when an Arsenal overload allowed Mead space to power an angled drive beyond England team-mate Hannah Hampton for a well-worked opener.
The Gunners' own WSL title hopes may be all-but over but they made sure of moving within a point of the second-placed Blues on the hour, establishing a two-goal cushion when Mariona Caldentey placed a finish from the edge of the box which left Hampton unmoved.
Erin Cuthbert should have halved the deficit with 15 minutes to go but aimed a free header from James' cross wide of Anneke Barbe's unguarded post. Although the hosts continued to push for a comeback with time running out, their finishing touch still evaded them - and the defeat may have seen them finally kiss goodbye to the WSL trophy.
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