Lerwick Spurs coach Robbie Carbry was delighted that substitutes made the difference in a 4-1 victory against Westside in the second round of the Highland Amateur Cup. The Isle of Lewis side took a surprising lead against the run of play, but Spurs battled back to restore parity in the first half before booking their spot in the next round with three late goals.

Robbie said: “Making the change to bring on Connel [Gresham] changed the complexion of our attack. He was able to stretch the Westside defence, and we capitalised on this to score three goals and win the game.

“I was frustrated to lose the opening goal; they hadn’t yet had a shot on target. It was an awkward ball that bounced beyond our defenders, and they took their chance well.

“Getting a goal back before half time was really important, from there we pushed on and showed our quality going forward.

“To have players like Connel and Lewis [Harkness], we fear no one going forward and look forward to testing ourselves against anyone in the next round.”

Spurs wasted no time in showing their attacking threat, with Andrew Flett rattling the Westside post with a glancing header after a long diagonal ball. Westside had to rely on the woodwork again when Joe Goodlad got in behind their backline to shoot across goal.

Despite the early dominance from the Shetlanders, Westside took advantage of a defensive mix-up to take the lead. A high ball from the right wing was not dealt with in the Spurs goalmouth and Innes Morrison was on hand to poke the ball beyond Paul Grant in the 37th minute.

Undeterred, Spurs pushed on and levelled the tie on the stroke of half time. Westside were caught out with a looping ball which Flett expertly controlled to slot beyond Reece Montgomery. The equaliser gave Spurs the confidence they needed to push forward at the start of the second half and almost took the lead through a thunderous half volley from Sam Maver.

The defining substitution in the 53rd minute introduced Gresham to the Spurs attack, and the veteran took no time to test the Westside defence. Harkness played him through, and his drilled shot flashed wide of the left post.

A Spurs goal was feeling inevitable, and it would come in the 73rd minute, when Harkness picked up possession from deep in his own half, carrying the ball down the left wing before cutting in and unleashing a sensational curling effort beyond Montgomery in the Westside goal.

Westside had little time to recover and were punished again when Spurs doubled their advantage moments after. Gresham was alert to break beyond Westside defence and calmly chipped the encroaching keeper to score from distance.

With a place in the third round looking all but confirmed for Spurs, they found time for a fourth. Maver fancied his chances from a 30-yard freekick and his drilled effort went through the wall and in, rounding off a dominant second half performance.

Westside boss Murdo MacDonald could have no complaints, and was proud of his team for reaching the mainland for the first time in seven years.

He said: “It was a good, competitive game, we felt we were the stronger side in parts of the first half. It was unfortunate to concede the equaliser at that moment because we had done so well to get in front.

“Spurs are a very good team, and we were missing a couple of key players. Their substitutions opened us out and we couldn’t quite deal with them at the end.

“I think the best team won in the end. We last travelled to the mainland in 2018 for the Highland Amateur Cup, so it was a great occasion for us and we are pleased that some fans travelled over too.