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 27th 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 20th 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 13th 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 4th 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 11th 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 18th 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 1st November, unless stated otherwise)
North
Gosforth Academy v Stourport High (25th 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
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