Defender Matt Elsdon achieved what is surely a first in English football during Barrow AFC’s match against FC Halifax Town last Saturday.

The 21-year-old centre-back made his third competitive appearance for the Bluebirds in the 0-0 draw at Holker Street and, remarkably, all three of them have come against the Shaymen.

That statistic is mostly down to how Elsdon’s time at AFC has been disrupted by injuries, with him missing almost four months with a knee problem picked up on his debut at Halifax in August.

He returned for the FA Trophy tie against Jamie Fullarton’s side last month, but a virus prevented him from kicking on, with Kyle Jameson’s three-match suspension eventually giving him a route back into the side.

On his bizarre link with Halifax this season, Elsdon said: “It’s crazy, it’s very strange how that’s happened.

“I just need to get a few games under my belt because towards the end of the game I was feeling a bit leggy and stuff, but I would expect that because I haven’t played much this season.

“The week after the Trophy game, I was ill, so I was off for a few days and I couldn’t play on the Saturday [against Solihull], where we won and kept a clean sheet, so I can’t complain if I’m not in the team next week.

“It took me a couple of weeks to get back in the team, but I’ve got my spot now and hopefully I’ll get a run of games.”