In the hours before the start of the women’s FA Cup final, when they were trying to forget about the enormity of the occasion and ignore the butterflies that were fluttering around their stomachs, the players of Chelsea Ladies could hardly have anticipated that they would enjoy such a stress-free afternoon.

Do not be fooled by the slender margin of Chelsea’s victory. They were superior throughout against Notts County Ladies and there were not many heart-in-mouth moments for them to endure.

After so many near misses, Chelsea’s quest for a first major trophy is over and how they savoured a triumph that finally laid to rest the ghosts of their defeat on penalties to Birmingham City Ladies in the final three years ago. Emma Hayes has managed her squad with distinction, bearing in mind that the misery of losing to Arsenal in the semi-final last year was exacerbated by missing out on the Women’s Super League title to Liverpool Ladies on the final day of the season.

The pressure could have hindered Chelsea. They could have choked. Instead Ji So-yun’s goal in the first half was decisive and County, who are still seeking their first trophy after their switch to Nottingham from Lincoln 18 months ago, could have no complaints. Rick Passmoor’s side were outplayed, fortunate that Chelsea only had Ji’s tap‑in to show for their dominance.

It was a 1-0 thrashing and Ji was a fitting match-winner. The impish South Korean has been a revelation since joining Chelsea at the start of last year and has lifted this side to new heights, although she owed her goal to the daring and creativity of the wonderful Eniola Aluko, who deserved her woman of the match award after illuminating the final with a display of breathtaking skill.

Chelsea Ladies’ Ji So-Yun scores the only goal of the game in the Women’s FA Cup Final against Notts County Ladies at Wembley Stadium. Photograph: Ben Hoskins/The FA via Getty Images

There was the added bonus, too, of Chelsea winning the first final to be held at Wembley. If it was a slight disappointment that more tickets were not sold, the attendance of 30,710 set a new competition high and there was an unmistakable sense of positivity about the progress that is being made in the present and optimism for what the future holds for the women’s game. Those who were there witnessed history.For all the goodwill, however, there was a final to win and Chelsea were desperate to alter perceptions of them as a side that is liable to stumble near the finishing line.

County are fourth in the WSL, a place and three points behind Chelsea, and Passmoor has built a tough, physical side who do not make a habit of giving anything away cheaply. Timidity is not part of County’s DNA. Chelsea had to graft in order to impose their sweet passing game on their opponents and their captain, Katie Chapman, set the tone with an industrious display in midfield. It is easy to see why Chapman now has nine FA Cup winner’s medals. Ji, who won the PFA Women’s Player of the Year award in April, has been called the Korean Messi and here she was wearing the No10 shirt and looking for little pockets of space in the false nine role.

It was a struggle for her at first, when County’s defending was obdurate. The back four was led by their captain, Laura Bassett, whose heartbreaking own goal in England’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Japan was fresh in the memory; there was a huge roar when her name was read out and those of a romantic persuasion wondered what the scriptwriters had in store for Bassett.

Chelsea had no time for a feel-good story. Ice ran through their veins, sending a chill down County’s spine, and their goal arrived in the 37th minute. Aluko made it with a driving, twisting run into the area from the left and she had the presence of mind to slip a clever pass inside to Ji, who bundled past Carly Telford and rolled the ball into the empty net. A messy finish, but a precious one.

Chelsea should already have been ahead by that point. Aluko was running riot on the left, tormenting Sophie Walton, and it was a mystery how Gemma Davison failed to convert one of her crosses at the far post, somehow steering a lunging volley wide.

County were wheezing as they strained to contain Aluko. She had the game’s first chance when she burst past the onrushing Telford, only for the angle to prove too tight, and also threatened with a shot from 18 yards.

County’s hopes rested on set-pieces and the closest they came to piercing Chelsea’s armour was when Leanne Chrichton’s header was cleared off the line by Davison in the 61st minute.

“Our front three didn’t have their normal standard of game,” Passmoor said. “We didn’t have that zip or excitement in the top third. Maybe the occasion got to two or three of our players.”

Apart from that scare, Chelsea were always in control. County were limited in open play and, in the end, the gulf between the sides was encapsulated by Hedvig Lindahl, Chelsea’s goalkeeper, finishing the final with barely a scrap of mud on her shorts.