Mill HIll secure second cup win in seven days

A week earlier the two sides had gone head-to-head in the Blue and White Rosebowl Cup at a packed Griffin Park where Mill Hill came away with a comfortable 2-0 victory.

Seven days on and the two sides put on another entertaining final which could have gone either way until it was settled by man-of-the-match Joel Phelps who bagged two goals in the second half.

Due to the season being interrupted by the lockdown, the league unveiled a new format with teams split into four groups of four and then battling it out in a knockout stage. 

Rhoden Inn had won all their six group matches while Mill Hill were runners-up to Lord Raglan in their group.

The game began in familiar fashion with Mill Hill making most of the play and Rhoden playing on the counter attack. The deadlock was broken by the ever-resourceful Mohammed Nabeel. Nabeel was a constant threat in the first half and could have doubled his tally and put this game to bed.

Phelps puts Mill back in front

Into the second half and Rhoden - who had gone 140 minutes without scoring against Mill over two cup finals - were finally rewarded for their enterprising play to draw level. It was well-deserved and the cup final was brought to life once more.

They should have gone 2-1 up when a Rhoden player rounded the keeper only to put it wide. Another chance went begging for Rhoden who were having their best period in the game.
But they were to rue those missed opportunities.

Mid-way through the half another surging run by Phelps saw him drive into the penalty box. Rather than square it he managed to squeeze it into the only gap between the keeper and the post - a goal fitting for any final.

Rhoden celebrate a deserved equaliser

Phelps was back on the scoresheet 10 minutes later to make it 3-1 to Mill Hill.

While the two back-to-back finals involved the same two teams and may have resulted in the same outcome, Mill Hill and Rhoden Inn both played their part.