NOT EVEN a change of coach could help South Croydon to the win it desperately needed as Balwyn thrashed the Bulldogs by 113 points on Saturday.
The Bulldogs are sitting in second-last position on the Eastern Football League division 1 ladder and are just a game ahead of Croydon, with the bottom team to be relegated.
Last Tuesday, Bulldogs president Stephen Quon announced that he had asked Ben Delarue to step down from the coaching role.
Delarue complied and assistant coach Damien Franken was named senior coach. But the Tigers kicked 15 goals in the first half to blow the Bulldogs out of the contest.
Glenn Statchan was named best player for the Bulldogs, along with Daniel King and Andrew Dessent.
Quon thanked Delarue for his efforts and said the Bulldogs would focus on staying in the top division. "We look forward to the entire club doing the extra work required over the next six weeks to prove we are a competitive and respected first division club," Quon said.
The Bulldogs' final five games do not present any easy contests. They will face Noble Park, East Ringwood, East Burwood, Scoresby and Blackburn to end the season.
Franken didn't return the Weekly's calls on Sunday.
Division 1 premiership hopeful Norwood fell from top spot to fourth place after a loss to Vermont. East Ringwood and Croydon both lost.
EFL division 1: Balwyn 40 points, 145.66 per cent; Scoresby 40, 132.23; Vermont 40, 130.36; Norwood 40, 125.06; Noble Park 36, 116.30; East Burwood 24, 101.70; Lilydale 20, 98.75; East Ringwood 20, 89.08; Knox 20, 89.07; Blackburn 20, 87.87; South Croydon 8, 68.10; Croydon 4, 64.56.