The penultimate round of Phase 1 in the 2019 AASE League takes place on Wednesday as teams scrap for those top four places in each conference.

After the conclusion of round 7 next week the top four in each conference are then redrawn into two pools of four. First and third in the north grouped with second and fourth in the south, and vice versa. The winners of those two group then meet in the AASE Final at Allianz Park on Wednesday 4^th December.

Those finishing in the bottom three in each of these pre-split pools also play in mini groups after half term, but they stay split north/south.

Northern Conference

Oaklands College and Gosforth Academy are guaranteed top four finishes as they are over ten points clear of fifth placed Myerscough College. Brooksby Melton College and Bishop Burton College are still theoretically in danger, although it would take something extraordinary for Brooksby Melton College to miss out as they are exactly ten points clear in third of fifth place.

This week Oaklands, who are a point clear at the top, have a bye week. Therefore Gosforth Academy have a chance to go top, they have a game in hand and are just a point behind, however they travel to a Stourport High School side who are still just about in with a chance of sneaking into the top four and will therefore be hugely determined.

Brooksby Melton College, meanwhile, can 100% guarantee their top four finish and potentially go top of the table on Wednesday if other results go their way. They host a Moulton College side that have found life tough so far this season, they are yet to win a game and have just a solitary bonus point to their name.

Arguably the key game of the round is Bishop Burton College’s trip to Myerscough College. Bishop Burton’s dramatic victory over Brooksby Melton last week suddenly made them a real contender and victory over Mysercough would almost certainly guarantee them a top four finish while ending the home side’s challenge. However a win for Myerscough would see that fight for fourth place go right down to the final round of this first phase.

Southern Conference

The Southern Conference is wide open, Hartpury College, Beechen Cliff, and Exeter College all sit on fifteen points, though Exeter have played a game more, Filton College are currently in fourth with twelve, while in fifth St Paul’s Catholic College are just a point further behind on eleven. Anything could happen.

Only City of Oxford College in sixth cannot qualify for the top four, oddly Truro College can, despite being a point behind, they could reach fourteen points. In all likelihood though, it is one of that group of five at the top that will miss out.

Exeter College will therefore be feeling nervous this week, they have played a game more than those other four sides and that will be made up this week as they have a bye week.

However what will please them is that two of the other four will be dropping points this week as they all play each other. Hartpury College welcome SGS Filton College and will be on a real mission this week, having lost to Beechen Cliff last week. For Filton, though, this is a key game. Defeat would leave them adrift, while victory would not only be a huge achievement, but it would put them in an incredibly strong position to secure a top four finish.

It is a similar story in the other game as Beechen Cliff travel to St Paul’s Catholic College. Beechen Cliff know that a win would guarantee their top four place. Meanwhile victory for St Paul’s would be a massive boost to their chances, while defeat would bring it all down to that final week.

With St Paul’s and Filton playing each other next week, the southern conference looks set to end in blockbuster fashion.

The final game in the south this week sees City of Oxford College play their last game of this first phase as they host Truro College. City of Oxford have performed well in their debut season so far, and will be eager to secure the win to avoid finishing at the foot of the table.

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AASE Round 6 Fixtures (predictions in bold):

North

Brooksby Melton College v Moulton College

Myerscough College v Bishop Burton College

Stourport HS v Gosforth Academy

Bye: Oaklands College

South

City of Oxford College v Truro College

Hartpury College v SGS Filton College

St Paul’s Catholic College v Beechen Cliff

Bye: Exeter College

Tables:

Northern Conference

Southern Conference

Remaining Fixtures:

Round 7 (16th October)

North

Bishop Burton College v Stourport HS

Gosforth Academy v Oaklands College

Moulton College v Myerscough College

Bye: Brooksby Melton College

South

Beechen Cliff v Exeter College

SGS Filton College v St Paul’s Catholic College

Truro College v Hartpury College

Bye: City of Oxford College

Preview Results:

AASE Round 5 Results:

North

Bishop Burton College 20-19 Brooksby Melton College

Gosforth Academy 43-12 Myerscough College

Oaklands College 48-15 Stourport HS

Bye: Moulton College

South

Beechen Cliff 33-10 Hartpury College

Exeter College 26-19 St Paul’s Catholic College

SGS Filton College 27-17 City of Oxford College

Bye: Truro College

AASE Round 4 Results:

North

Brooksby Melton College 12-33 Gosforth Academy

Moulton College 5-52 Bishop Burton College

Myerscough College 23-24 Oaklands College

Bye: Stourport HS

South

City of Oxford College 3-31 Beechen Cliff

Hartpury College 46-29 Exeter College

Truro College 8-6 SGS Filton College

Bye: St Paul’s Catholic College

AASE Round 3 Results:

North

Gosforth Academy 79-13 Moulton College

Oaklands College 26-39 Brooksby Melton College

Stourport HS 12-45 Myerscough College

Bye: Bishop Burton College

South

Beechen Cliff 26-8 Truro College

Exeter College 14-39 City of Oxford College

St Paul’s Catholic College 0-36 Hartpury College

Bye: SGS Filton College

AASE Round 2 Results:

North

Bishop Burton College 18-24 Gosforth Academy

Brooksby Melton College 40-19 Stourport HS

Moulton College 0-43 Oaklands College

Bye: Myerscough College

South

City of Oxford College 12-27 St Paul’s Catholic College

SGS Filton College 28-5 Beechen Cliff

Truro College 15-35 Exeter College

Bye: Hartpury College

AASE Round 1 Results:

North

Myerscough College 3-27 Brooksby Melton College

Oaklands College 24-17 Bishop Burton College

Stourport HS 59-26 Moulton College

Bye: Gosforth Academy

South

Exeter College 19-12 SGS Filton College

Hartpury College 69-14 City of Oxford College

St Paul’s Catholic College 40-20 Truro College

Bye: Beechen Cliff