IPSWICH TOWN: Blues manager Roy Keane has revealed that 18-year-old Reggie Lambe is in line to earn a new Portman Road contract.

The Bermudan international earned rave reports for his display in Tuesday’s Carling Cup 2-1 win at Millwall, and will be in the squad for tomorrow’s npower Championship game at Scunthorpe United.

He is currently on a one-year deal having ended his scholarship in the summer having left the Atlantic island to join the Ipswich academy straight from school.

“I’ve got a lot of time for Reggie,” said Keane.

“He’s perhaps had to be more patient than others around him and has not trained with the first team quite so much.

“But the Millwall game in midweek was just the right game for him, and he didn’t let us down.

“He’s a talented boy, but he also impressed with his work rate and he has a nice way about him.

“He’s completely opposite to me and is laid back. But I like that in a person.

“Reggie has still got a lot to do, but like every good hungry youngster he has a chance.”

Lambe has made his one league substitute appearance in the opening game of the season at Middlesbrough as a replacement for Carlos Edwards.

And Keane sees him as a foil for the Trinidad and Tobago international.

“Reggie is a near replica of Carlos,” added Keane.

“He has the same running style and the same attitude. He was a big, big plus for us against Millwall.

“Along with the likes of Luke Hyam and Tom Eastman, Reggie is on a one-year deal, and we’re looking into extending this.

“But first team players don’t come easily and contracts have to be earned as well.”

And Lambe also drew praise from Town’s experienced defender Gareth McAuley.

“It was the first time I’d played with Reggie at The Den and he impressed me greatly,” said the Northern Ireland international.

“His skills going forward are there to see, but it was his chasing back and his tackling that caught my eye.”