Lee Bowyer questioned football lawmakers’ decision to change the drop ball rule following Charlton’s defeat to Wigan and said: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Referee Andy Davies gave the hosts the ball to restart play inside Charlton’s half after Josh Cullen went off the field for some medical treatment.

The opposition expected Wigan to give them back possession but, instead, Michael Jacobs instead ran at their defence before shooting towards goal.

Bowyer was left perplexed by the events which unfolded and feels the original rule was sufficient enough.

READ: Bowyer: 'That's the worst we've played since I've been in charge'

He said: “To be fair, it wasn't good was it? The ref told our player to go away and we were going to give it back to them. It was obviously their ball so we were going to kick it back to them, like what normally happens.

“But then the ref said we have to go away. Our player obviously thought that they were going to give it to us to kick it back but obviously not, then the lad [Jacobs] just ran through and had a shot.

“I said, 'Hold on, is this a new rule? How can you just let him do that?'

“The ref is telling our player to move out of the way so he can just go and run and have a free shot! That ain't right.

“I think something needs to be done about that.

“Why change it? Just keep it [the drop ball rule] how it was. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Trying to fix something that ain't even broken. Everyone knew the rules before. If it's their ball then you kick it back to them and then you play again, but now they are complicating things.

“Maybe someone is bored somewhere. Maybe they just want to tamper with it, I don't know. It's crazy.”

READ: Player ratings from Wigan 2 Charlton 0

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), which comprises the English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish FAs, as well as FIFA, introduced new laws which came into effect on June 1 this year.

The new drop ball law says that, if play is stopped, the ball is then dropped to a player on the team that last touched it and where they touched it. All other players must be at least four meters away from the ball.

If the attacking team’s move is stopped then they will get the ball back in that position, compared with the past when the opposition would clear it back as far as the goalkeeper.

In this case, Wigan, who were the attacking team, had the drop ball but Jacobs ran and shot instead of returning possession from the position play was resumed from.

Tensions flared and confusion ensued before Darren Pratley clashed with Joe Williams and put his hand on the midfielder's neck. The referee spoke with both players but did not brandish any cards.