Adamstown club sack coach as relegation pressure builds

Winless Rosebud, who were set to play NPL leaders and defending premiers Lambton Jaffas in the Australia Cup at Edden Oval on Wednesday night, have installed club stalwart Chris Moylan as Dawkins' replacement.

The decision comes after Adamstown were routed 8-2 by second-placed Broadmeadow on Saturday in round 12.

Adamstown are last on two points after nine matches in the NPL, with Lake Macquarie (3 points) and New Lambton (4) just ahead.

Promotion-relegation has returned this year and the new system demotes last place to Northern League One in 2025 and puts second-last into a play-off series with teams two, three and four from the second-tier for another spot in the 12-team NPL.

Dawkins came from the Weston reserve-grade job to take over from Dave Rosewarne this year at Rosebud, who have finished bottom three in the NPL every year since 2016.

Rosebud have scored just eight goals while conceding 32 this season.

Dawkins had brought in Dylan Bozinovski and Weston's Jacob Dundas in last week's window for NPL roster changes. Import Taiju Watanabe has dropped off the list. He was one of two Japanese players brought in this year to help bolster Adamstown, who have focused on building a squad through youth development in recent seasons.

Dawkins is the first NPL head coach to be axed this year.