Saturday saw the return of the Cinema Cup and Conference Side Banknock FC took on Thorn Athletic.

Match Report: Banknock On Fire in the Cinema Cup

In a truly cinematic cup tie, Banknock AFC secured their place in the 3rd Round of the Cinema Cup with a dramatic 3-2 victory over a formidable Thorn side.

The opening 15 minutes was an evenly matched contest until Jack Richie capitalized on a great cross from Kian, popping up across the face of goal to tap it in for a 1-0 lead. However, the lead was short-lived. A momentary lapse led to a slack back-pass from Callan, which was intercepted by a Thorn striker who levelled the scores at 1-1.

After the half-time break, Banknock came out looking the brighter of the two teams. Ryan Fox demonstrated brilliant skill, cutting inside from the edge of the 18-yard box before slotting the ball into the bottom corner, putting Banknock back in front, 2-1. Thorn quickly responded, however, as their midfielder finished nicely from a cut-back to make it 2-2.

The decisive moment came when Banknock earned a penalty. A brilliant run saw Ryan Fox get the ball wide left, nutmeg the right back, and take it past the centre-back, who fouled him in the box. Isaac stepped up to the spot and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom right for a crucial 3-2 lead. The drama escalated as a Thorn winger, annoyed at being beaten, was shown a straight red card, leaving them to finish the game with ten men.

Banknock defended resolutely for the remainder of the game, seeing out the tense final minutes to secure a happy day of cup football!

Coaches’ Man of the Match

The Coaches’ Man of the Match award goes to Ryan Fox for his outstanding performance, scoring a goal and earning the match-winning penalty. Well done, lads!

Up Next for the Banknock Lads

The victory sees Banknock AFC progress to the 3rd round of the Cinema Cup. With this kind of fight and fire, who knows how far this journey will take them. Keep an eye out for details on their next match! BANKNOCKS ON FIRE! 🔥⚫🔴🟡