Coach Ryan Campbell believes Adamstown Rosebud have moved on from player departures in NPLW NNSW

Kiarra Lewis, Jemma Lawson and Maddy Howard have all switched from Rosebud to Maitland in recent weeks and leading into last weekend's match against Newcastle Olympic Campbell stressed the importance of his players looking forward, not back.

They lost the battle at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility 3-1 to the third-placed Olympic and are fighting to keep alive their finals hopes in NPLW Northern NSW as the competition approaches its third and final round.

But Campbell was buoyed by the performance.

"I thought the girls did quite well and I thought we were always in it," Campbell said.

"We had to take a few risks when we were chasing the game and just made a mistake in the end.

"There's lots of football still to play, but the main thing for us was just that we had to react from the last weeks' situation and some of the girls had to accept the fact that they've got a lot going for them and they can just enjoy playing and getting more minutes in first grade.

"I was impressed by Lana Kearney. That was only her second start. She played centre-back and was against Jemma House and did not look out of place at all, and she's only 14."

It was 1-1 at half-time after Adamstown midfielder Josie Morley scored before the break to cancel out Tory Johnson's opening goal.

Rosebud conceded early in the second half off a free kick then were reduced to 10 players midway through the second half when Tara Cousins was red-carded. They conceded a third goal after the centre-back's departure for two yellow card offences.

The result left sixth-placed Adamstown on 11 points, 12 adrift of the top four with nine games to play.

They have only taken one point in their past four outings and life doesn't get any easier with competition leaders Warners Bay (31 points) next followed by second-placed Broadmeadow (28).

Rosebud will get the chance to gain some momentum in between playing the two big guns with the NNSW Football Women's State Cup being held from July 8 to 10.

MORE IN SPORT:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: