Round three in the 2023 ACE League takes place on Wednesday, with four sides looking to maintain unbeaten starts.

In the Southern Conference reigning champions Hartpury College and the impressive Gordon’s are both on two from two, likewise Gosforth Academy in the Northern Conference where Stourport High School have won their sole game after a Round 2 bye.

Northern Conference

Gosforth Academy’s back to back victories saw them win a tight on at City of Oxford in week one before a good win at home last time out against Brooksby Melton College. Their quest for three in a row this week sees them travel to Myerscough College, who kicked off their campaign last week after a Round 1 bye, going down 34-5 at Oaklands College, who have a bye this week.

Stourport High School, who had the bye last week, look to make it two from two this week but have a tough trip to City of Oxford College on Wednesday. City of Oxford ran Gosforth close in round one before a fantastic 26-5 away victory at Bishop Burton College last time out.

It leaves Bishop Burton College looking for a first victory after that tight defeat at Stourport had preceded defeat at home to City of Oxford. They get back on the road again to Brooksby Melton College on Wednesday, with the Tigers affiliates looking to quickly bounce back from last week’s Gosforth defeat and get back to their superb winning ways from round one against Oaklands College.

Southern Conference

The story of the season so far is surely Gordon’s, who found the going tough in their opening few ACE seasons but have flown out of the traps this year with a strong Round 1 win at home to Exeter College and then backing it up in a real nail biter at Beechen Cliff last week, 22-20. The challenge steps up a level this week though as they face the reigning champions and the only other side in the conference with an unbeaten record, Hartpury College. The men in red have back to back bonus point wins to start the season, backing up a 54-19 victory at Filton with a 29-0 home win over Truro College last time out. This should be the game of the day.

Hartpury’s two vanquished opponents, Truro College and SGS Filton College go head to head at Truro on Wednesday, it will be just the second game for Filton, who had a bye last week – Exeter College have the bye this week. Truro meanwhile will be looking back at round 1 and their excellent 38-24 defeat of Beechen Cliff.

Beechen Cliff meanwhile are on the road and searching for their first victory of the season. They will be at Bishop Wand, whose Round 1 bye meant that last week’s Round 2 heartbreaker at Exeter College was their first game of the campaign, they picked up plenty of admirers in that 20-21 defeat though.

Round 3 Fixtures (Wednesday 27^th September)

North

Brooksby Melton College v Bishop Burton College

City of Oxford College v Stourport High School

Myerscough College v Gosforth Academy

Oaklands College – Bye

South

Bishop Wand v Beechen Cliff

Gordon’s v Hartpury College

Truro College v SGS Filton College

Exeter College – Bye

Round 2 Results (Wednesday 20^th September)

North

Bishop Burton College 5-26 City of Oxford College

Gosforth Academy 24-7 Brooksby Melton College

Oaklands College 34-5 Myerscough College

Stourport HS – Bye

South

Beechen Cliff 20-22 Gordon’s

Exeter College 21-20 Bishop Wand

Hartpury College 29-0 Truro College

SGS Filton College – Bye

Past Results

Round 1 (Wednesday 13^th September)

North

Brooksby Melton College 54-24 Oaklands College

City of Oxford College 20-24 Gosforth Academy

Stourport High School 19-17 Bishop Burton College

Myerscough College – Bye

South

Gordon’s 33-14 Exeter College

SGS Filton College 19-54 Hartpury College

Truro College 38-24 Beechen Cliff

Bishop Wand – Bye

Further Fixtures

Round 4 (Wednesday 4^th October)

North

Bishop Burton College v Myerscough College

Gosforth Academy v Oaklands College

Stourport High School v Brooksby Melton College

City of Oxford College – Bye

South

Beechen Cliff v Exeter College

Hartpury College v Bishop Wand

SGS Filton College v Gordon’s

Truro College – Bye

Round 5 (Wednesday 11^th October)

North

Brooksby Melton College v City of Oxford College

Myerscough College v Stourport High School

Oaklands College v Bishop Burton College

Gosforth Academy – Bye

South

Bishop Wand v SGS Filton College

Exeter College v Hartpury College

Gordon’s v Truro College

Beechen Cliff – Bye

Round 6 (Wednesday 18^th October)

North

Bishop Burton College v Gosforth Academy

City of Oxford College v Myerscough College

Stourport High School v Oaklands College

Brooksby Melton College – Bye

South

Hartpury College v Beechen Cliff

SGS Filton College v Exeter College

Truro College v Bishop Wand

Gordon’s – Bye

Round 7 (Wednesday 1^st November, unless stated otherwise)

North

Gosforth Academy v Stourport High (25^th October)

Myerscough College v Brooksby Melton College

Oaklands College v City of Oxford College

Bishop Burton – Bye

South

Beechen Cliff v SGS Filton College

Bishop Wand v Gordon’s

Exeter College v Truro College

Hartpury College – Bye