The games are coming thick and fast for Gordon League as they look to cement their place at the top of Counties 2 Gloucestershire North.

They host Brockworth on Saturday knowing that a bonus-point win would take them five points clear of the chasing pack ahead of the busy run-up to Christmas.

They travel to Old Cryptians on Saturday 2^nd December, host Old Richians a week later before travelling to long-time rivals Smiths on 16^th December for their final league game of the year, a game that is sure have a significant bearing on the title race.

And Gordon League will be ready because their 29-8 win at home to Hucclecote on Saturday was their eighth league success in a row.

Gordon League have finished runners-up in the league in the last two seasons – both times just missing out to Smiths – and are determined to make it third time lucky this time around.

They have already beaten Smiths 43-12 at home this season and experienced forward Kiernan Raybauld said: “I think this year is our best chance, everything is clicking at the moment.

“There’s experience in the team but there’s a lot of youth too.”

Raybauld, a former club captain, is one of the older heads. The second row or back row – he’s playing 4 at the moment – is 30 and, along with back row Steve Limbrick and captain and tighthead Leon Kent, provides the bulk of the experience in the team.

“As a team I think we’ve learned a lot over the last couple of seasons,” added Raybauld, whose dad Adey, a number 8, also captained the club. “We really do want to win promotion this season.”

They are desperate to finish top but that in itself will not guarantee promotion to the next level as the winners of Counties 2 Gloucestershire North must play-off against the winners of Counties 2 Gloucestershire South to determine who will take the one promotion place.

Smiths lost out to Clifton 2nds in the play-off at the end of last season, a season that saw them and Gordon League go toe-to-toe for the whole campaign.

Smiths just came out on top, winning the title by two points after beating Gordon League home and away, the Gloucester club’s only two losses.

The previous season, in the old Gloucestershire One North, it was almost as close with Smiths finishing four points clear of second-placed Gordon League, a campaign in which they both beat the other once.

Remarkably, both clubs have lost just five league games in the past two-and-a-half seasons, although Smiths have lost two to Gordon League’s one in 2023/24.

Gordon League’s defeat came on the opening day of the season at home to newly promoted Old Patesians, who themselves are very much in the title race.

Smiths’ other defeat was at Cirencester at the beginning of October – they lost 42-29 – but they are unbeaten in five and won 27-6 at Brockworth on Saturday.

So there is plenty to play for as the league approaches the halfway stage and ex-Chosen Hill School pupil Raybauld, who has been with Gordon League pretty much all his life, is ready to give everything to the cause.

“It would be massive for the club,” he said. “It would be a reward for all the hard work put in by the players, coaches and the committee.

“If we can beat Brockworth it will give us a bit of breathing space.”

Saturday’s game at Gordon League is the only Counties 2 Gloucestershire North fixture this weekend.

Gordon League are level on points with Smiths in the 12-strong division but have played one game fewer. Third-placed Old Patesians, like Gordon League, have played nine games and they trail the leaders by two points.

The Pats’ one defeat came at Smiths, losing 33-20 in mid-October.