Nathan Reid had a weekend he’ll never forget, after he made his Barrow AFC debut at Eastleigh, and he believes there’s a pathway for local players that wasn’t there before.

An injury crisis at the Bluebirds led to Reid, who is the younger brother of their head of youth, Liam Reid, getting a surprise call-up for the trip to Hampshire, along with teenager Tom Dawson.

The 24-year-old has been one of the overage players used in AFC’s under-21 team, which was only created this season after last summer’s appointment of manager Ian Evatt, and has played a key role up front.

He was named on the bench at Eastleigh, where he would never have expected to be involved as early as the 11th minute, when he was thrust into action after Jacob Blyth suffered a calf strain.

Reid acquitted himself well alongside Jack Hindle in what represents a remarkable rise for someone who has also played for Holker Old Boys in the North West Counties League – five levels below the National League – this season.

Reid said after Barrow’s 1-0 win against the Spitfires: “It’s brilliant to see a lot of the lads from the under-21s stepping up and making that step into the first team and getting a chance.

“In years gone by, they would have never had a chance to get in the squad, like me, for example, and Tommy.

“There’s never been anything like this around before and for the manager to allow the lads to make the step into the first team is fantastic.

“I think because we’re so far out in Barrow, we’ve never really had the chance because we’ve been too far out to get a chance, but the Performance Centre has made a massive difference to the area and it’s brilliant for all the local talent.

“There’s still plenty more out there, as well.”

Reid is the second player from the under-21s to have featured in the first team for the Bluebirds this season, after midfielder Christian Sloan made his debut in last month’s win at Sutton United.

He almost seemed stunned about what had happened to him in the space of just a couple of days, before which some of the club’s supporters may not even have heard of him.

Reid said: “I found out on Thursday morning that they wanted me in the squad and I signed the forms on Friday morning, then set off at seven o’clock and here we are with three points at Eastleigh.

“The sharpness and the intensity was a massive difference from what I’m used to and you realise after stepping up from a certain level how big a step up it is.”