Gold Coast Titans earned their first win of the season in a topsy-turvy encounter with Penrith Panthers.
Penrith started the game well and James Maloney opened the scoring after taking in James Fisher Harris’ pass. But the Titans bounced back well and when Maloney failed to hold Ash Taylor’s grubber, Tyrone Roberts pounced.
Then Roberts turned provider. His kick gave Anthony Don an easy chance for a try which handed the Titans the lead.
Viliame Kikau’s first try of the season drew the Panthers back level after 27 minutes.
Huge amounts of pressure from the Titans as the first half came to a close was rewarded with a try for Michael Gordon on his 250th NRL game.
Penrith turned the game on its head when Fisher-Harris strolled through the Titans’ defence and then Cleary set up Josh Mansour on the left-hand touchline. But their defence let them down again as Jarrod Wallace crossed to even up the scoreline.
With twelve minutes to go, Bryce Cartwright was pulled back by Hame Sele when chasing Dale Copley’s kick and was awarded a penalty try which sealed the win for Gold Coast
Titans: Gordon, Don, Peachey, Kelly, Copley, Roberts, Taylor, Wallace, Rein, James, Proctor, Cartwright, Arrow; Interchanges: Brimson, King, Hipgrave, Whitbread
Tries: Roberts, Don, Gordon, Wallace, Cartwright; Goals: Gordon 5
Panthers: D Watene-Zelezniak, Mansour, Whare, Blake, Edwards, Maloney, Cleary, Tamou, Katoa, Campbell-Gillard, Kikau, Yeo, Fisher-Harris; Interchanges: Fuimaono, Leota, Sele, Luai
Tries: Maloney, Kikau, Fisher-Harris, Mansour; Goals: Cleary 4
Full match reports of all this weekend’s NRL games will feature in Monday’s League Express.
