Phoenix defender returns with high hopes

Dec 1, 2017 - 9:13 PM Tempting as it would be to score against his old club, Phoenix defender Scott Galloway will settle for a clean sheet when Wellington meet Melbourne Victory on Sunday.

The 22-year-old Australian fullback returns to the A-League fray after a month injured on the sidelines at just the right time for Wellington, who sit bottom of the ladder.

Eighth-placed Melbourne are two points ahead, with a solitary win over Perth Glory to offset four draws and three losses.

The Victory have struggled to find the net this season, with just nine goals from eight games, and have also looked shaky defensively in conceding 12 goals.

Six of the last eight goals against them have come from former Victory players, a statistic Wellington's trio of ex-Melbourne players would love to add to.

Galloway spent five years at the Victory, midfielder Gui Finkler played 93 games over four seasons, while defender Daniel Mullen spent a season there five years ago.

Goals are few and far between for Galloway - he's scored three in the A-League to date - but he'll happily forego a fourth to concentrate on his core role at the heart of Wellington's defence.

"I'll take a clean sheet," he said after training on Friday.

Galloway hasn't played since limping off with a hamstring injury midway through Wellington's 3-3 draw with Brisbane Roar in late October.

In the three games since, Wellington have conceded nine goals, and have struggled to field a consistent back four.

They've shipped 17 goals this season to date, and Galloway says it's been difficult watching from the sidelines.

"It's always frustrating being on the sidelines - you always want to be out there and playing," he said.

"As a team, we're just conceding too many goals, you can't win games conceding as many goals as we are."

Melbourne's equally slow start to the season isn't indicative of their potential, Galloway said.

"They're a fantastic club, a fantastic team, they're just going through a rough patch now, but they've got the quality and the ability to just kick it on whenever they want.

"Hopefully for us it's not this week."

Source: AAP