Luke Rowe scored a dramatic late winner to secure Worcester City’s place in the first round of the FA Cup, edging past Chorley in a tense replay on Tuesday night. The holding midfielder’s 89th-minute 25-yard strike proved decisive in the fourth qualifying round replay, sending Worcester City into the first round proper for the upcoming clash against League Two side Colchester United.

Rowe, who rarely ventures so far forward, described his unexpected goal as a dream moment. “I can’t believe I’ve done it, I’m a bit speechless to be honest,” he said after the match. “We’ve been fantastic as a team, so to go and get a winner in injury time is what dreams are made of. I won’t be shooting for the next two to three weeks now, I’m saving it for Colchester away.”

The goal brought a disappointing conclusion to Chorley’s campaign and was especially hard for their Worcester-born manager, Andy Preece, who returned to his hometown side in defeat. Despite the loss, Rowe emphasized the collective effort of his team throughout the two-legged tie. “I’ll get the applause for the goal but the boys were fantastic from start to finish,” he noted. “Even in the game at their place, the boys have been fantastic. We’ve run our socks off tonight, kept a clean sheet, and we’ve been nasty, as the gaffer kept telling us. We knew the boys had it in their locker and we’ve shown that today.”

Worcester City, who compete in the Southern Premier Central division, will now face a challenging 400-mile round trip to take on Colchester United, managed by Danny Cowley. The trip marks a significant occasion for Chris Cornes’ squad, who squarely view the league as their primary focus but cherish the opportunity and exposure the FA Cup brings.

“The league is our bread and butter, but Colchester in the first round of the FA Cup, that’s the magic right there,” Rowe said. “It’s hard to believe right now but we’ll go down there and definitely give them a good game. We’re really looking forward to it. It’s a long trip, but the boys will go out there and enjoy it.”

Worcester City’s victory adds a fresh chapter to their club’s FA Cup history and sets the stage for a classic David versus Goliath encounter against Colchester United in the next round.