Deplorable. Stupid. Total numbskulls. AFL legend Leigh Matthews has vented over the controversial umpiring decision against North Melbourne’s Shaun Higgins.

Play on was called on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium because Higgins took too long to have his set shot at goal.

Western Bulldogs star Jake Stringer quickly mowed him down in a tackle, ensuring no score.

Had Higgins kicked the goal, North would have been only seven points down at three-quarter time in a match they lost by a point.

It comes after Port Adelaide key forward Charlie Dixon was also called to play on at a crucial moment of their narrow round-10 loss to Geelong.

The Higgins call came on top of a lopsided free kick count against North in Saturday night’s game.

North forward Ben Brown was disallowed a goal late in the match that would have put them in front.

“This is deplorable. What happened with Charlie Dixon and Shaun, it should only happen if they’re total numbskulls,” Matthews told Channel Seven’s Game Day.

“Because what happens, you’ve got an umpire 40m away who’s controlling the play and trying to tell you they’re counting down the clock, and you’ve got an umpire five metres away saying nothing.

“It is just stupid. I’m serious.”

The highly-respected commentator said he did not care about staging or jumper punching, but is annoyed when play on is called and the umpire closest to the set shot does not make the decision.

“Taking the ball off a player who’s earned the shot at goal … and you’ve got an umpire five metres away who should be the one counting you down,” he said.

“Because 40m away at Eithad Stadium, you just don’t hear them.”

The 30-second countdown clock is not shown on the scoreboard in the last two minutes of each quarter, to stop players trying to “ice” the remaining time.