After seven weeks of action the first phase of the 2021 ACE League is complete, and it culminated in a fantastic Round 7 as teams jostled for final placings and those crucial Top 4 spots.
The top four in each conference will be drawn into two mini-conferences after half term, first and third in the north grouped with second and fourth in the south, and vice versa, with the winner of those mini conferences heading to the ACE League final.
Going into this round six of the eight teams across both conferences had secured their top 4 spots, all four in the north were confirmed but the top three placings were still to be decided, while there were two spots up for grabs in the south, only Hartpury College knew their exact finishing position, they had done enough to guarantee top spot a week early.
Northern Conference
Bishop Burton College, Brooksby Melton College, Gosforth Academy, and City of Oxford College had all booked their top four spots a week early, Bishop Burton could only finish fourth but the other three could finish in any position in the top three, and all four sides were in action against another top four side.
City of Oxford College were first up, away at Bishop Burton College, and got the job done in absolutely stunning fashion, winning 40-0, their fifth win in a row and a victory that provisionally sent them to the top of the table. It meant that the lowest they could finish was second, with Gosforth Academy hosting Brooksby Melton College, Gosforth could not overtake City of Oxford’s points total, but Brooksby Melton could level it.
That meant a nervy wait for City of Oxford as they waited for those two to play their later kick off, the difference between first and second with another mini-conference to come might not seem like much, but finishing first or third would mean avoiding the might from the Southern Conference that is Hartpury College.
It turned out to be an absolutely epic game up in Newcastle as Gosforth and Brooksby Melton went absolutely flying into the game. Very little could separate the two, but reports are that Gosforth’s breakdown and support play just gave them the edge in a thrilling 36-27 victory. That meant that City of Oxford College, in only their second ACE season, finished top of the pile, with Gosforth in second, Brooksby Melton in third, and Bishop Burton in fourth.
At the bottom half of the table Oaklands College claimed fifth spot, just two points off the top four after a 10-7 victory over Myerscough College, leaving the Sale Sharks side without a victory and in seventh place. Stourport High finished sixth, they had a bye week.
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference already had a confirmed table topper, Hartpury College. Who had won five from five with bonus points in every game, the challenge for them was whether or not they could make it a perfect six away at SGS Filton College who were looking for a top 4 finish but needed things to go their way.
Filton’s good fortune though, was that the contenders around them, Beechen Cliff and Bishop Wand, were in action against one another. Truro College were guaranteed a top four finish, and in all likelihood second place, which they confirmed with a close 20-17 victory over Gordon’s, close games have been a bit of a theme for Truro College.
Hartpury, unsurprisingly given their strength, did the job at Filton College, ending this first stage with a maximum thirty points thanks to a 27-10 victory. That left Filton sweating on the outcome of the Bishop Wand game at Beechen Cliff. Victory for Bishop Wand would guarantee Filton would qualify, victory for Beechen Cliff at Filton were slipping down to fifth.
What few were expecting though was the 12-12 draw that happened, sealing Bishop Wand’s place in third, while leaving Filton and Beechen Cliff level on points and reaching for the rule book. Fortunately for Filton, and heart-breakingly for Beechen Cliff, Filton’s 29-28 victory at Beechen Cliff in Round 3 proved enough for the Bristol Bears affiliates to claim the final top four spot.
Coming Up
Once the sides return after half term, those mini conferences will begin. Little info has been released or revealed, however our understanding is that top and third in the north will face second and fourth in the south, with second and fourth in the north combining with first and third in the south. Meanwhile those that finished in the bottom three in each conference will also be in mini-conferences, but they will remain split north/south.
Which means that the groups after half term should look like this:
Group 1: City of Oxford College, Truro College, Brooksby Melton College, SGS Filton College
Group 2: Hartpury College, Gosforth Academy, Bishop Wand, Bishop Burton College
North: Oaklands College, Stourport High, Myerscough College
South: Beechen Cliff, Exeter College, Gordon’s
However it is worth noting that these groups are unconfirmed and based only on our understanding of how the next phase will proceed.
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ACE League Round 7 Results (20th Oct)
North
Bishop Burton College 0-40 City of Oxford College
Gosforth Academy 36-27 Brooksby Melton College
Oaklands College 10-7 Myerscough College
Stourport High v Bye
South
Beechen Cliff 12-12 Bishop Wand
SGS Filton College 10-27 Hartpury College
Truro College 20-17 Gordon’s
Exeter College v Bye
ACE League Standings:
North:
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | City of Oxford | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 27 |
| 2 | Gosforth Academy | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 26 |
| 3 | Brooksby Melton | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 23 |
| 4 | Bishop Burton | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 14 |
| 5 | Oaklands College | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| 6 | Stourport High | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| 7 | Myerscough | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
South:
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | Hartpury College | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 30 |
| 2 | Truro College | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 23 |
| 3 | Bishop Wand | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 17 |
| 4 | SGS Filton College | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| 5 | Beechen Cliff | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 12 |
| 6 | Exeter College | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 11 |
| 7 | Gordon’s | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
Previous Results:
Round 6 Results:
North
Brooksby Melton College 29-21 Oaklands College
City of Oxford College 24-21 Gosforth Academy
Myerscough College 29-39 Stourport High
Bishop Burton College v Bye
South
Gordon’s 17-32 SGS Filton College
Hartpury College 34-33 Beechen Cliff
Bishop Wand 19-5 Exeter College
Truro College v Bye
Round 5 Results:
North
Gosforth Academy 34-14 Bishop Burton College
Oaklands College 14-20 City of Oxford College
Stourport High 22-50 Brooksby Melton College
Myerscough College v Bye
South
Beechen Cliff 33-12 Gordon’s
Exeter College 19-55 Hartpury College
SGS Filton College 31-33 Truro College
Bishop Wand v Bye
Round 4 Results:
North
Bishop Burton College 10-26 Oaklands College
Brooksby Melton College 59-0 Myerscough College
City of Oxford College 36-26 Stourport High
Gosforth Academy v Bye
South
Gordon’s 20-10 Exeter College
Hartpury College 31-15 Bishop Wand
Truro College 46-28 Beechen Cliff
SGS Filton College v Bye
Round 3 Results:
North
Myerscough College 7-38 City of Oxford College
Oaklands College 17-31 Gosforth Academy
Stourport High 10-17 Bishop Burton College
Brooksby Melton College v Bye
South
Beechen Cliff 28-29 SGS Filton College
Exeter College 31-35 Truro College
Bishop Wand 33-5 Gordon’s
Hartpury College v Bye
Round 2 Results:
North
Bishop Burton College 31-17 Myerscough College
City of Oxford College 26-29 Brooksby Melton College
Gosforth Academy 22-8 Stourport High
Oaklands College v Bye
South
Gordon’s 0-38 Hartpury College
SGS Filton College 15-24 Exeter College
Truro College 22-21 Bishop Wand
Beechen Cliff v Bye
Round 1 Results:
North
Brooksby Melton College 29-33 Bishop Burton College
Myerscough College 19-22 Gosforth Academy
Stourport High 33-29 Oaklands College
City of Oxford College v Bye
South
Exeter College 24-7 Beechen Cliff
Hartpury College 54-12 Truro College
Bishop Wand 26-17 SGS Filton College
Gordon’s v Bye