![Adamstown's Dino Fajkovic. Adamstown's Dino Fajkovic.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ChN2GeGbsrYvYqhWaZEXS7/23de0121-6f8b-46cd-98ae-b4866c06d0f5.jpg/r0_0_5891_3927_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Adamstown hope to have suspended skipper Dino Fajkovic cleared for their crucial clash with New Lambton at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Wednesday night (8pm).
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Rosebud have appealed Fajkovic's six-game ban for match official abuse in the 7-2 loss to Maitland on June 22. The hearing was held on Tuesday night. Fajkovic was given a straight red card for comments he allegedly made to the Maitland bench about the referee.
The experienced striker, Adamstown's top scorer with eight goals this year, served one match of the sanction in the 1-1 draw with relegation rivals Lake Macquarie on Saturday.
A Northern NSW Football spokesperson said Adamstown will have a decision on their appeal before the 8pm catch-up match with New Lambton on the synthetic surface at Speers Point.
The game shapes as vital in the fight to avoid 11th place and play-offs against second-division clubs to stay in the NPL for 2025. Last place is relegated. The bottom three - Lakes (four points), Adamstown (nine) and New Lambton (11) - look set to battle it out for safety with seven games each to go.
With rain continuing, New Lambton proposed to play Adamstown on Tuesday night in their training slot at LMRFF before it was agreed to use their women's team's booking on Wednesday.
Coach Shane Pryce said New Lambton needed a sharp improvement from their effort in a 1-0 loss to Cooks Hill on Saturday.
"We probably should have been beat 3-0 as a minimum, we were way off the mark," Pryce said. "We were second to everything and didn't compete at all, so there could be some changes coming to get some fresh energy in the team.
"Everyone is probably thinking this is all about that second-last spot, so it's a huge game because we don't play anyone else around us after that, we play all top teams, and they are similar.
"The road in is going to be tough for both sides, so a win is paramount."