Titans break duck with entertaining win over sloppy Panthers

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Gold Coast Titans v Penrith Panthers

The Gold Coast Titans finally got their first win of the 2019 season with a high scoring 30-24 victory over Penrith.

Penrith started the game in strong fashion and looked keen to put on plenty of points, especially when they scored the opening try inside the opening 10 minutes, when Fisher-Harris acted as a five-eighth and passed to Maloney, running like a centre/back-rower and he stormed through a gap to dive over under the sticks to score in the 7th minute. Cleary slotted the easy goal.

In the 15th minute the Titans hit back when an Ash Taylor grubber is fumbled in-goal by Maloney and Roberts scrambled through to ground the ball for a try beneath the sticks. Gordon converted to level the scores.

Three minutes later and the Titans were in again when a lovely chip by Roberts to the right corner found Don, who took it cleanly in the contest, spun around in the tackle and fell over to score on the line. Gordon again converted.

In the 26th minute the Panthers responded through big Viliame Kikau, whose powerful run onto a crash ball near the line and he scores to the left of the sticks, despite plenty of defenders hanging onto him. Cleary adds the extras.

Just before halftime the Titans went right where the Panthers defence were spread thin. Roberts held up a pass for Peachey who then got a nice short ball to Gordon who steamed through a huge gap to score. Gordon converted his own try from the wide on the left side.

Two minutes into the second half, Penrith were the first to score when Sele got a good ball to Fisher-Harris who ran off the back fence on a gorgeous line. He runs through a tiny gap, untouched and scored under the posts. Cleary converted.

Penrith then scored again, just 3 minutes later, when Cleary got a stunning ball around the defender to the unmarked Mansour, who scored untouched in the corner. Cleary's sideline conversion was a peach.

In the 51st minute the Titans again levelled the scores. Wallace got the short pass as the trailing runner and crashed over all too easily to the left of the posts for a soft try. Gordon converted to level the scores at 24 all.

In the 67th minute the Titans were awarded a penalty try to Cartwright, after it was found he had been impeded in his attempt to regather a ball rolling in the Panthers in-goal. He managed to get to the ball, but knocked as he tried to ground it. Gordon converted.

Penrith struggled all match with last tackle options and discipline and it again dogged them in this game, as they were unable to capitalise on good opportunities in the final 10 minutes.