A proud Kevin Lambe remained glued to the internet throughout his younger brother Reggie's professional debut for English club Ipswich Town.

Kevin, himself a forward at PHC, felt every kick, every header and every tackle during his sibling's 80 minutes in the Tractor Boys' thrilling penalty shoot-out win over Shrewsbury Town.

He never doubted his brother would make it as a footballer. It was just a matter of when, not if.

"I used to take Reggie to play in the park when he was kid," said Kevin, 26, who was unable to make the trip to Shrewsbury's Prostar Stadium. "He always used to tell me he wanted to become a footballer and I remember being impressed by the hours he put in by himself. That's when I knew he would make it."

Kevin said although Reggie, 18, was content with his Carling Cup performance, the experience had reminded him how far he had to go before he could expect a regular start in manager Roy Keane's first team.

"It was a very proud moment for me," said Kevin. "I was glued to the internet following his progress throughout the match. I've spoken to him and I think he enjoyed the experience and learned from it. He told me he knew there were things he must now work on. Hopefully he'll be on the bench for some of Ipswich's regular league matches soon."

During his years playing in Bermuda's Premier Division, Kevin has heard all the dressing room talk from local leading lights on how they could have made the big-time if only the breaks had gone their way.

For Kevin, the formula's simple: Talent plus dedication. And his brother has bags of both.

"It's great for him to make his debut at such a young age," he said. "Remember it took Shaun Goater and Kyle Lightbourne a lot longer to make their debuts in England.

"That's the problem in Bermuda, a lot of guys have the talent but don't have the dedication. Reggie has both. Plus, he's had a lot of support and guidance. He's got a lot of special attributes which coaches like Kenny Thompson and Devarr Boyles helped nurture when he was very young."

Lambe's mother, Renita, has been taking him to games since he was five years old, but on Tuesday night it was her turn to be chaperoned as her son organised complementary tickets so she could share in his special moment.

"I managed to get to the game to support Reggie," said Renita. "It was a very proud moment to see him make his debut. I think he did okay and he was happy with his performance."

Since the Bermuda international's debut, his father Fred has been constantly stopped on the streets by well wishers.

"I've been surprised by the reaction on the street," he said. "Everybody has been stopping me and telling me to wish Reggie the best and how happy they were that he made his professional debut."

He added: "This is something he has wanted for a very long time. Reggie's doing what he's always wanted to do and is where he wants to be."

Somerset Eagles coach Kenny Thompson, who alerted Ipswich Town to Lambe's potential, said he was delighted to see his former Academy player realise his dreams of playing professional football.

"I was so happy for Reggie and his family," said the former national team coach. "He's shown the required commitment and made the sacrifices. But it's still early days for him and he must continue to develop in order to make the Ipswich first team on a regular basis."

Prior to Lambe joining Ipswich's youth academy, Thompson had been organising for the gifted youngster to travel to Holland to experience the technical and physical aspects of the European game. Only when Lambe became comfortable with the extra demands of the higher level did Thompson contact the Championship side.

"People don't realise the hard work that someone like Reggie put in to get where he has," he said. "When he first went to Ipswich it wasn't a one-shot deal, he had to go back there two or three times before they agreed to take him.

"The attribute that really set Reggie apart from other talented Bermuda players was his focus. It was evident from a very early age that he would do whatever it takes to get where he wants to be."