This Wednesday sees the final round of ACE stage one action take place as the final positions in the race for Top 4 finishes and a place in the top tier second group stages are decided.
Those finishing in the Top 4 in this initial groups head to that top tier second group stages, where first and third from the Stage 1 Northern Conference are grouped with second and fourth from the Stage 1 Southern Conference and vice versa. The winners of those groups will meet in the ACE final in December, with the runners up playing for third, and so on.
Those finishing in the bottom three of the Stage 1 groups will also head to Stage 2 groups, but these will remain split North/South.
Northern Conference
The top four are already confirmed in the Northern Conference, with Gosforth Academy, City of Oxford College, Brooksby Melton College, and Stourport High School all confirmed. As through. Gosforth and Stourport actually played their final game a week early, Gosforth winning 45-26 to seal top, which in turn meant that Stourport were fixed in fourth.
City of Oxford College currently sit in second, four points clear of Brooksby Melton in third. Both are through but a matchday point of any sort at Oaklands College for City of Oxford would guarantee second, Brooksby Melton meanwhile need a four point swing relative to City of Oxford when they visit Myserscough College. Bishop Burton College have a bye and, like Myerscough College and Oaklands College, know they will be in the second tier phase 2 groups.
Southern Conference
Reigning champions Hartpury College are qualified and have a bye this week, also through are Truro College and Gordon’s. Gordon’s could pip Hartpury to top spot if they beat Bishop Wand on Wednesday, who are yet to win a game but have a whopping 6 bonus points. Truro College could level with Gordon’s if the Surrey side lose and they win at bottom placed Exeter College.
The game that all eyes will be on in the South though is Beechen Cliff v SGS Filton College. It is a huge encounter, both can clinch fourth – indeed if results go their way Beechen Cliff could sneak into third.
Beechen Cliff are on 13 points, SGS Filton on 9, so Filton could do with a bonus point win over Beechen Cliff whilst denying their hosts any sort of league point or the maths gets complex. For Beechen Cliff the game is simple, a draw or a win will get them into the Top 4.
Round 7 Fixtures (Wednesday 1st November, unless stated otherwise)
North
Gosforth Academy 45-26 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
Round 6 Results (Wednesday 18th October)
North
Bishop Burton College 12-31 Gosforth Academy
City of Oxford College 78-0 Myerscough College
Stourport High School 31-3 Oaklands College
Brooksby Melton College – Bye
South
Hartpury College 26-21 Beechen Cliff
SGS Filton College 13-10 Exeter College
Truro College 36-10 Bishop Wand
Gordon’s – Bye
Tables (Q = qualified in that league position, q = qualified, final position to be determined)
North
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | Gosforth Academy (Q) | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 30 |
| 2 | City of Oxford College (q) | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 21 |
| 3 | Brooksby Melton (q) | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 17 |
| 4 | Stourport High (Q) | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 16 |
| 5 | Bishop Burton College | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 11 |
| 6 | Oaklands College | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 7 | Myerscough College | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
South
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | Hartpury College (q) | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 26 |
| 2 | Gordon’s (q) | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 22 |
| 3 | Truro College (q) | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 17 |
| 4 | Beechen Cliff | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 13 |
| 5 | SGS Filton College | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
| 6 | Bishop Wand | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| 7 | Exeter College | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
Past Results
Round 5 Results (Wednesday 11th October)
North
Brooksby Melton College 27-34 City of Oxford College
Myerscough College 15-20 Stourport High School
Oaklands College 24-61 Bishop Burton College
Gosforth Academy – Bye
South
Bishop Wand 24-31 SGS Filton College
Exeter College 21-76 Hartpury College
Gordon’s 43-43 Truro College
Beechen Cliff – Bye
Round 4 Results (Wednesday 4th October)
North
Bishop Burton College 38-3 Myerscough College
Gosforth Academy 41-7 Oaklands College
Stourport High School 36-41 Brooksby Melton College
City of Oxford College – Bye
South
Beechen Cliff 38-12 Exeter College
Hartpury College 38-27 Bishop Wand
SGS Filton College 14-42 Gordon’s
Truro College – Bye
Round 3 Results (Wednesday 27th September)
North
Brooksby Melton College 32-12 Bishop Burton College
City of Oxford College 31-7 Stourport High School
Myerscough College 12-52 Gosforth Academy
Oaklands College – Bye
South
Bishop Wand 28-33 Beechen Cliff
Gordon’s 26-19 Hartpury College
Truro College 18-8 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
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
