Gold Coast to face Melbourne without key defenders

Gold Coast United will travel to Melbourne this weekend without key defenders Bas van den Brink and Kristian Rees.

The duo were ousted by the independent Match Review panel following an incident just after the half-hour mark of their 1-1 draw with Adelaide United on Friday night.

The incident came about when Rees was controversially sent off for a challenge on Reds youngster Mathew Leckie although it appeared that the veteran got the ball in his tackle.

Gold Coast players appealed the dismissal on the spot with Dutchman van den Brink being handed a four-match ban for ‘unsporting conduct toward a match official’ in referee Chris Beath.

If the club do not appeal van den Brink’s sanction, they will meet league leaders Melbourne Victory with a makeshift defence but Steve Fitzsimmons says the side is good enough to overcome that.

"They are obviously a very good side and the table doesn't lie,'' he said.

"We are quietly confident going in to the game we matched them with 10 players the last time they were up here, so we will see how we go."