Porter returns for GCU

Gold Coast United is set to add more sting up-front with the timely inclusion of Joel Porter for Sunday’s clash against Perth Glory.

Gold Coast United is set to add more sting up-front with the timely inclusion of Joel Porter for Sunday’s clash against Perth Glory.

Looking to bounce back from last weekend’s defeat to Newcastle and maintain the pace with Melbourne and Sydney, Gold Coast is ready to unleash a three-pronged attack against the Glory, who lost 2-1 the last time they visited Skilled Park back in Round 11.

Porter has missed United’s last two matches with a knee injury, but the 30-year-old is now fully fit and is set to line-up alongside leading Hyundai A-league scorer Shane Smeltz and new recruit Charlie Miller.

“A couple of weeks off wasn’t what the doctor ordered, but it’s part and parcel with football, you always pick up niggling injuries here and there,” Porter said.

“It’s one of those injuries where you don’t know what will happen with it until you play a game, so we thought we’d give it an extra week off. This week the knee has felt really good at training and I’m back to 100 percent.”

With Miller’s home debut setting the scene for United, the Scot’s silver service is something Porter is hoping to take advantage of in front of goal.

“Charlie (Miller) is a quality player, and he’s proven that from last year and this year with Brisbane, he’s been a great acquisition,” Porter said.

“He (Miller) can pretty much make something out of nothing, he’s that sort of player and we’ve been missing that a bit lately.”

“I’ll definitely be making some runs so hopefully he (Miller) can see me and put a few passes in.”

“We know that if he can put one of his magical balls through, Shane (Smeltz), Jason (Culina) or myself will be on the end of it.”

Porter has only netted twice this season, but it doesn’t seem to faze the former Hartlepool United front man, who values the three points over his own performances.

“It would be nice to score a few more, but as long as Smeltzy is putting away two a game and we get the points, that’s all that matters,” he said.

After conceding eight times in its past three outings, Gold Coast has worked hard on its defence at training this week, and Porter believes that if his side can stop the leaks it will hold them in good stead for a run into the finals.

“To stop conceding goals you have to work well as a full squad and at the moment we’re not doing that,” he said.

“We’re definitely leaking and conceding too many goals, but we know that if we can stop conceding goals, then up front we know we can score them.”

“The next four home games are very important to us. If we can pick up points in all of them then it will put us in a nice position going into the final rounds.”

While United poses a significant threat to Perth’s goal, Dave Mitchell’s men will be boosted by the return of Qantas Socceroos defender Chris Coyne, who has been missing for the past two rounds with a back injury.