Centre-back Matt Platt believes having a settled back three is one of the big reasons Barrow AFC have the joint-best defensive record in the National League.

Although they had a reasonable record last season, the Bluebirds were rarely able to call upon the same personnel in defence over a prolonged period due to injuries.

For the most part, that has changed since September, with Blackburn loanee Platt playing in the middle of the back three, with Sam Hird and Patrick Brough either side of him, that has become hard to breach.

They have continued to stand out since the turn of the year, with AFC not conceding in their last five games in combination with their rampant form at the other end of the pitch, ahead of today's game at Boreham Wood.

Platt said: "Obviously, as a player that helps massively, having a stable team, especially in defence, because you get to know the players that you're playing with week in, week out.

"You get to know their games, what they're good at, what they're not good at and you can kind of adapt and help them out and they can help you out.

"Us having a stable back three has helped me massively since I've been here."

Platt hasn't missed a league game since making what was his second Bluebirds debut against Hartlepool United on September 3, with Barrow conceding just 15 goals in the 21 games he has appeared in.

Even though Blackburn had loaned him out before, it is comfortably the longest spell of playing first team football the 22-year-old as had.

Platt said: "It's been my first real experience of a full season in men's football and I think it's done me the world of good.

"I've had a few loan moves before, but I've never really had a good run of games - maybe at Southport last year, but this is the first proper full season.

"I'm really enjoying it and it obviously helps that we're doing really well also, so hopefully that can continue."

Platt was still a teenager when he was first loaned to Barrow by Blackburn just under three years ago and he had to be patient for his chances in the team back then, but he still felt the benefit.

"The first time I came up was completely different because I'd never known anywhere else apart from Blackburn and in many ways it kind of introduced me to men's football," Platt said.

"I probably didn't play in as many games as I would have liked, even though I did play a few.

"I think it was just helpful for me, in the sense of just getting used to a first team environment. I didn't see it at the time, but I think it stood me in good stead."