On Paper Gold Coast couldn't match Perth...

On paper this could have been a nightmare....

On paper we had just lost the league's reigning golden boot.

On paper it was our second game in a 30 day period.

On paper our marquee was flying in from Europe two days before kick off after playing 180mins in a week.

On paper we were playing a team that had not been defeated.

On paper we were travelling to our most distant destination...

All these things were written down long before a ball was kicked, but what couldn't be measured was the determination of the men from the Gold Coast. From the outset they came to win, to stifle a deadly midfield and to starve a dangerous marquee man.

No matter what Perth threw at them they remained United. Through every crunching tackle, through every elbow - body check - neck twist and testicle squeeze they came through it all. They were not going to be denied and as hard as Jacob Burns would try, they would not stoop to his level.

The potential minefield of two byes in three weeks had been skilfully avoided, and now a fresh focus on the campaign can take place as we have a mighty run of four games and then, then.... An international break.

I find it amusing that some Glory diehards see this game as Glory giving away a loss rather than United taking a win. This was a well designed and well executed game plan. Caravella was immense in his role to choke down the midfield. Make no mistake you see, as Mirons men have been training and readying themselves for life after Smeltz well before this season started.

The formations were in place and the tactics were practiced. With good fortune we replaced Shane with a faster alternative, which will cause defenders a whole new set of problems. United set out an attacking formation and Culina was placed in that forward pocket we all crave him to be in.

One thing the Gold Coast did well at last year despite the off-field nonsense, was to win and play exciting attacking football. This seemed like it had passed us by this season with a lacklustre game against the Raw, and a weakend showing against Victory. So it was with welcome eyes we watched that same game and edge return on Sunday.

This one win rocketed us up the table and with those aforementioned two games in hand, who knows where we will end up.