Soccer: It's away yet again for the Phoenix

Star striker Paul Ifill returns to the Phoenix line-up to face Gold Coast. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Wellington Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert refuses to get too hung up over his team's poor away record in the A-League.

In 14 regular season games last season, the Phoenix won only three times - all in the second half of the season - and drew five. Yet, despite what might have appeared a poor effort, the Phoenix finished fourth with their total of seven losses the least in the league.

"Yes, we have to replicate our good home form when we travel but as I have said many times, there are no easy games," said Herbert. "We will get there eventually."

He backs his call by pointing to the difficulties the other teams have when they play at Wellington's Westpac Stadium.

Whereas the opposition face just one, or at the most two, trips across the Tasman, the Phoenix make that journey virtually every second week.

"You ask the other teams why they can't win here and you get a better perspective," said Herbert. "The draw we had away to Melbourne Victory was as good as we had done in three years."

That point, from a 0-0 draw, was the only point, of a possible 12, the Phoenix have picked up in Australia this season. Herbert hopes to add three to that tonight when they play Gold Coast United in the week-nine opener.

They can take some heart from two trips to the Coast last season to take some positives.

A 0-0 draw was followed by a 1-0 win at Skilled Park. In between times they thumped Gold Coast by a club record 6-0. In the earlier clash this season at Westpac Stadium the Phoenix frittered a handy 3-1 lead to finish 3-3.

Herbert takes some positives from last weekend's 2-1 win over North Queensland Fury as he heads to the Sunshine State.

"I thought they did well and fully deserved the points," he said.

Herbert welcomes star striker Paul Ifill back for tonight's game with the Barbados international straight in as a direct swap for suspended Vince Lia. After 37 straight appearances for the club it was Ifill's first miss but he hopes to use that as a positive.

"I had a bit of time to think about my game and what I haven't been doing and what I have been doing," said Ifill before the team's departure on Wednesday. "It came at a good time in a way. I start again and come back fitter and fresher."

In the only other change, Dylan Macallister drops from the bench, replaced by Mirjan Pavlovic, who returns from international duty.

Gold Coast, now without Shane Smeltz, have struggled to score goals - just six from seven outings - which gives the Phoenix a real chance of three away points which would take them into a clear second place.

THE MATCH
* Gold Coast United v Wellington Phoenix
* Skilled Park, Robina, 11 tonight (NZ time, live SS1)