Eltham International and Mitre FC B met at the start of Round 3 of Group B — a meeting of two unbeaten sides looking to seize early control of the group. Eltham International had drawn their opening two games and were seeking their first win, while Mitre FC B had built strong momentum with a win and a draw, starting the round joint-top.

It was Eltham International who came out flying, with Stefano Chagas proving the difference in a scintillating first-half display. He struck twice to give his team a commanding 2-0 lead at the break. Mitre FC B responded through the prolific Ben Hughes to pull one back, but Chagas wasn't done — completing his hat-trick to restore the two-goal cushion. Hughes grabbed his fifth of the tournament late on to make it 3-2, but Eltham held firm to claim a vital first victory. The result blew Group B wide open, showcasing the fine attacking talent on both sides.

The result was a significant statement from Eltham International, who not only secured their first win but did so against one of the group's early pace-setters. Stefano Chagas' clinical finishing proved pivotal but Eltham's defensive unit also deserves credit — despite conceding twice, they held off a strong Mitre FC B comeback and kept their composure under pressure. For Mitre FC B, it was a first defeat but still a performance with positives. Ben Hughes continued his rich vein of form, scoring twice to take his tournament tally to five goals in just three games. Although the loss was a setback, Mitre FC B remain very much in contention and have shown they can compete at the top end of the group.

FC Maroon picked up their first win of the tournament in a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Sheffield Thursday, maintaining their unbeaten record and climbing to joint second in the Group B standings. Having drawn both of their opening fixtures, FC Maroon were eager to turn solid performances into three points — and they started on the front foot. Chris Breen gave them a deserved lead in the first half, continuing their trend of strong defensive foundations coupled with timely goals.

Sheffield Thursday, fresh off a confidence-boosting win in their previous game, were not about to roll over. They responded well after the break and found an equaliser through Ben Walton, who levelled the game and threatened to hold FC Maroon to a third consecutive draw.

However, FC Maroon showed great resilience and determination to chase the win. Their persistence paid off when Ben Summers struck what proved to be the match-winning goal, securing a vital three points. The result keeps FC Maroon firmly in contention at the top end of the group and shows they have the grit to grind out results in tight encounters.

Despite the defeat, Sheffield Thursday showed plenty of promise and remain very much in the mix as the group phase develops. They've shown they can compete – bouncing back from an opening loss with a solid win and pushing an unbeaten FC Maroon side all the way in this one. Both defeats were by the odd goal, so they'll be optimistic about their chances of picking up more points with a few tweaks to their game and pushing for knockout stage qualification. It was small margins in Group B.