Canberra United are not dwelling on a humbling 5-0 thrashing by lowly Wellington as they prepare for their first A-League Women’s clash with league-leaders Western United.

Canberra were annihilated by the Phoenix last Sunday to give the New Zealand club their first win of the season.

In a result no one saw coming, United had no answer to a desperate Wellington team determined to make up for lost time in front of their home fans.

Canadian centre-back Kennedy Faulknor returned for Canberra against the Phoenix after three weeks out with a knee injury and is eager to put the Wellington nightmare behind her.

Canberra will host Western United at McKellar Park on Saturday and will be hoping the result will provide a return to the sort of form shown in their previous game, a convincing 5-1 triumph over Newcastle.

“I’m excited just to play them (Western United) because I know they’re a top team in this league and have done really well this season,” Faulknor said.

“If we do our job, and what we know we can do, we can come up positive.”

Western United will travel to the nation’s capital having suffered just one loss in the first nine rounds of their debut season – a 2-1 defeat at Western Sydney a fortnight ago.

They will be without star forward Jessica McDonald after the American returned home at the conclusion of her guest stint.

Coach Mark Torcaso will still have plenty of choices to fill spots up front, with Danielle Steer and Kahli Johnson both seeking a place in the starting line-up.

Star striker Hannah Keane, leading the league’s golden boot race with seven goals so far, will also be out to maintain her outstanding form.