The penultimate round win maintained Canberra’s six-point margin and, with the bye next weekend, Jitka Klimkova’s team are assured of becoming the first club to go through the regular season undefeated.

Brisbane Roar moved a step closer to claiming the remaining home semi-final with a crucial 3-1 victory on the road against Newcastle Jets, in a result which severely dents the home side’s finals aspirations.

All eyes, however, were on the nation’s capital and the Canberra juggernaut maintained momentum by racking up a club record winning margin.

Typically it was Michelle Heyman who led the way striking twice in the first half to take her season tally to 12, four clear of Melbourne Victory skipper Jodie Taylor.

Adelaide were resilient until the final stages and striker Rachael Quigley hit the post, before the floodgates opened. Taryn Hemmings bagged two in as many minutes, while Ashleigh Sykes added to the visitor’s misery with an injury time goal.

In Newcastle the Jets entertained champions Brisbane Roar with semi-final ambitions on the line for both teams.

A tough and entertaining encounter ensued and it took the Roar until the latter stages of the match before asserting their dominance, and thus avoiding the possibility of an unthinkable failure to reach the top four.

Not for the first time this season Emily Gielnik made a goalscoring impact off the bench bagging two crucial goals to end the deadlock.

Earlier Lana Harch set Brisbane on their way with Linda O’Neill restoring parity early in the second period.

The result leaves the Jets in fifth and requiring Melbourne Victory to stumble next week in Adelaide if they are to slip into fourth.

Brisbane, meanwhile, will need only a draw when they entertain Sydney FC in an epic final round meeting where second spot will be on the line.

Sydney were in cruise control by half-time against Perth Glory thanks to a double from Kyah Simon and an own goal from Tanya Oxtoby, with the 3-0 win booking their semi-final passage.

The Glory, to their credit, maintained their composure to keep the Sky Blues scoreless in the second stanza, in a performance which contrasted sharply with the nine-goal second-half blitz on the last occasion the pair met.