Here's why it could be another 100-minute match at Edgar Street tonight

More stoppage time appears to be coming to the National League North

Some supporters at Edgar Street on Saturday might have been surprised there was so much stoppage time.

At the end of the first half, there were four minutes and then eight at the end of the second.

Those eight then seemed to go on for more like 10 minutes - meaning around 104 minutes of football would've been played... sort of. And it could be the same against Rushall Olympic tonight.

As such, Tuesday night games might not end until well past 10pm... it has to be said though that it remains to be seen how consistent this will be between officials.

It all appears to be because the FA starts cracking down on time wasting and new international rules specifying that time lost during goal celebrations should be fully accounted for.

Most football fans will remember the lengthy spells of injury time during the World Cup in Qatar.

The International Football Association Board was pleased with how it went so ordered domestic leagues to follow suit.

According to The Athletic, IFAB’s Law 7 said allowance is made by the referee in each half for all playing time lost through:

• substitutions
• assessment and/or removal of injured players
• wasting time
• disciplinary sanctions
• medical stoppages permitted by competition rules e.g. ‘drinks’ breaks (which should not exceed one minute) and ‘cooling’ breaks (ninety seconds to three minutes)
• delays relating to VAR ‘checks’ and ‘reviews’
• goal celebrations (recently added)
• any other cause, including any significant delay to a restart (e.g. due to interference by an outside agent)

With that comes another point though - should more substitutes be allowed?

Chorley manager Andy Preece thinks so, telling The Non-League Paper player welfare is at risk with the new time added on initiative.

Currently, Steps 1-4 can only make three changes while Step 5 and 6 clubs are in line with the higher levels of the game in being allowed five, in three windows.

National League clubs opted against the move at the 2022 AGM but Preece believes the new rules mean they should be given the chance to reconsider and a change made with immediate effect.