Ryan Bowman admitted it was a “brilliant” feeling to score the winning goal back at the club where he started.

Shrewsbury Town’s Carlisle-born striker got the decisive goal at Brunton Park in the FA Cup second-round tie.

Bowman fired home at the Warwick Road End to knock out the club where he had come through the youth ranks.

The boyhood United fan said: “What more could you ask for? From a personal point of view, a goal and against my home team…

“The most important thing is we got the job done. They’re never easy, these cup ties, especially at places like Carlisle.

“They made it tough for us, had some chances but we defended well.

News and Star: Bowman steers the winner home in the 78th minuteBowman steers the winner home in the 78th minute

“Bit of a shame we conceded late on, because the boys at the back were fantastic, but we got the job done.”

Bowman admitted it was special to be back at the ground he used to attend from the age of nine with his grandfather, watching the team from the Paddock until he played for the club’s youth sides.

“It’s brilliant – brings back so many memories,” he told BBC Shropshire.

“I played on this pitch so many times, mainly for the reserves and youth team [and a few times] for the first team.

“It’s home for me as well. My parents, friends and family were there watching so it was a brilliant day for myself.”

His 78th-minute goal was his first in first-team football at Brunton Park, Bowman having left the Blues in 2011 and gone on to play for clubs including Darlington, Hereford, York, Torquay, Gateshead, Motherwell and Exeter.

News and Star: Bowman tussles with United's Morgan FeeneyBowman tussles with United's Morgan Feeney

The 30-year-old, who went to St Aidan's School in Carlisle, said: “It was a great through-ball from Dan [Udoh]. I didn’t know whether to shoot on my left or not – it was a bit far out, and I’m not great on my left foot; I tried to get it on my right foot to give myself a better chance and thankfully it went in.”

Tom Bloxham had given the visitors an early lead, with Jordan Gibson getting Carlisle’s late consolation.

Bowman said United had given the League One side a tough test.

“[After the first goal] we should have kept going [in that way] and put them to the sword,” he said.

“We came off it a little bit and the manager emphasised that at half-time, to keep going, because it’s tough and they’ll keep coming.

“When we got the second goal it eased a bit of the pressure off us.

“They caused us problems but not too many real threatening problems. They had a couple of half-chances which they’ll feel they should have done better with, but we defended well.”