Gold Coast Knights add another attacking weapon with signing of Gold Coast United’s Nick Panetta

THE addition of a Gold Coast United discard has given the Gold Coast Knights another attacking weapon as they step up their pursuit of back-to-back Gold Coast Premier League titles.

THE addition of Gold Coast United discard Nick Panetta has given the Gold Coast Knights another attacking weapon as they step up their pursuit of back-to-back Gold Coast Premier League titles.

NERANG COACH HOLDING NO GRUDGES

Released by United last month after a 14-game NPL stint that featured six goals, the Cairns product and former Australian under-17 striker will make his fourth Premier League appearance for the Knights away to Nerang tonight.

The Bulletin understands Panetta fell out of favour with United coach Sean Lane over his work ethic, opening the door for the table-topping Knights to pounce on the 20-year-old.

With the Knights to chase their 11th win in 13 games against the Eagles at 7pm, coach Grae Piddick said Panetta loomed as a key figure after finding the net in his starting debut on Saturday, a 4-2 defeat of Mudgeeraba.

“He’s a player who’s quite handy. (When he was released) I saw a good player who lives on the Coast and isn’t cup-tied so all in all I said there was a good opportunity to bring a good player in,” Piddick said.

Nick Panetta in action for Gold Coast United earlier this season. Picture: Craig Clifford/Sportspics

“We’ll probably look to play him in a different position to what he was playing at Gold Coast United. They started him up front and he also played on the wing (but) I think his best position is probably in an attacking midfield type role or an inside winger where he can get on the ball.

“He brings something different to the rest of the guys so I think he’ll be a good asset going forward.”

Lane said there was no bad blood between he and Panetta.

“We had differences in the things we thought were important to make a team work and we thought it was best for Nick to go and find a club where he could play how he wanted to. I can see why Knights wanted him because he’s got an x-factor they don’t have,” Lane said.

Gold Coast United coach Sean Lane.

Nerang will look to put Saturday’s 4-2 loss to Burleigh behind them in the Round 15 fixture, which has been brought forward from August 4 to allow the Knights to prepare for their FFA Cup clash against the Newcastle Jets on August 7.

Panetta’s former teammates at United slumped to a 3-1 loss away to lowly Mackay and Whitsundays on Sunday, with Lane pulling no punches after a fourth loss in six NPL games.

“(The Magpies) were average and we were just as bad. On paper we were a better team, we should have dealt with Mackay,” Lane said.

“It’s the inconsistency, we get up for the big games and the games we should win we don’t. The players have got to take some responsibility for that, the coaching staff can’t go and kick the ball for people.

“I‘d look at myself and the coaching staff before anyone else but the time comes the players have to look at their performances.”