Our first U16 Boys East District Development League fixture of 2026 saw Edinburgh Hockey Club (EHC) make the hour long trip down to the Borders on Sunday 25th January at Kelso High School.

It has been almost two months since we last played a league fixture albeit a number of the Kelso players have been keeping busy over the Winter period with plenty of indoor hockey. That all said it was great to finally get back out on to the astro for a full 11-a-side match.

The conditions were set for a great game of hockey even with the travelling team valiantly playing with 10 players. The first quarter got off to a bright start with Kelso enjoying plenty of possession, and it wasn’t long before that possession turned into a fine goal with Connor Quinn putting the ball into the back of the net after some good team play. A second goal came soon after with Flynn Pennington slotting home at the far post to see us 2-0 to the good come the end of the first quarter.

We began the second quarter in a similar fashion to the first and the extra man meant we could effectively snuffle out any attacking threat from EHC. Our third goal was soon scored by Ruari Patterson from a penalty corner, and not long after Tenny Grant scored Kelso’s fourth with a fine reverse hit. The halftime whistle sounded with Kelso 4-0 up and little for our goalkeeper, Luke Dutch, to do in the first half.

The halftime break allowed the visitors to reset and they started the third quarter with energy and determination which saw them pose more of an attacking threat and draw a handful of top saves from our goalkeeper. As has been a feature of our hockey this season we make good use of the wide channels and our fifth goal came from some great work down the right hand side of the pitch with Connor Quinn securing his second of the match with a fine goal that found the roof of the net. Credit should go to Edinburgh HC for restricting us to a single goal that quarter - it was hard earned.

As we entered the final quarter it was telling that our visiting team were pushing harder as the game went on to find a goal, however the tremendous effort they were putting in was beginning to see the game get stretched. Whilst our opposition found it hard to break through our defence and GK we managed to create enough openings to put a further two goals on the board, courtesy of Ruari Patterson (second of the match) and Chris Alton. The scoreline ending with Kelso 7-0 winners, though a lot of credit goes to our visitors, Edinburgh HC for playing with lots of grit and determination, and never giving up.

As ever we thank the visiting team for making the journey and travelling down to the Borders, and we wish them well for their remaining fixtures this season.

Our next fixture is just around the corner with a trip away to Inverleith on Sunday 8th February.

KHC U16 Boys Team vs Edinburgh Hockey Club: C. Alton; L. Dutch; R. Fleming; T. Grant; O. Ironside; A. Little; O. McIntyre; J. Moir; R. Patterson; F. Pennington; R. Poe; C. Quinn; A. Scott; J. Wilson (Capt.).