Cowboys outlast Titans in dour contest

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Gold Coast Titans v North Queensland Cowboys

The Cowboys have scored three straight wins for the first time since 2017 as they overcame Origin omissions and first half injuries to defeat a very poor Titans outfit 6-4 at Cbus Super Stadium today.

The first 22 minutes of the game was full of limited attacking plays and poor kicking options, especially by the Titans - while the Cowboys struggled to maintain possession.

At that point though, the scoring drought was broken by the hosts, after they'd had the lion's share of possession and field position for the game up til that point. An attacking raid down the right side gave the Titans some momentum and on the next tackle they shifted the ball left, where Tyrone Roberts floated a long ball out to Dale Copley unmarked, who dived over in the corner for a quality try. Ash Taylor's attempt to convert was well wide of the mark.

Eleven minutes later the Cowboys very nearly scored, when a bomb was caught by Jordan Kahu, who quickly passed to Gideon Gela-Mosby. The winger toed the ball ahead into the Titans in-goal and miraculously regathered and grounded it just inside the dead-ball line - but the try was disallowed after the pass in the lead-up was ruled forward.

Cowboys interchange forward Corey Jensen came on and after one tackle got knocked out and was taken off the field, where he failed his HIA. A minute later Gela-Mosby, nursing his left shoulder, effected a tackle with one arm before coming off the field and also failed to return.

Then, right on halftime a scuffle broke out after Keegan Hipgrave tried to push Kyle Feldt back in-goal after a tackle was completed. Warnings and a penalty ensued but ultimately we went to halftime with the Gold Coast leading 4-0.

Ten minutes into the second half, the Cowboys finally got on the board when Jason Taumalolo surged over the Titans defence, and after a brief struggle was eventually ruled to have grounded the ball for a try. Kahu converted to give the Cowboys a two point lead.

In the 68th minute the Titans received a penalty and Taylor attempted to kick a penalty goal, but it was again well wide of the mark.

Come the 73rd minute they had a try disallowed after a small knock-on was found in a contest for a bomb, however they were awarded a penalty due to Roberts being tackled around the legs while in the air after kicking. He decided to take the shot at penalty goal, but it just shaved the outside of the post and was also waved away.

Right on fulltime, Tyrone Peachey grubbered for himself, regathered, tumbled, passed to the left to Cartwright, who then passed to Kelly, and the outside back had to spin to catch the pass behind him - he then dived for the corner, only to be bundled into touch by Feldt.

The loss ensures the Titans remain in the bottom rung of the ladder with Canterbury, and next week they face SEQ rivals Brisbane at Suncorp. The Cowboys' fourth straight wins has them nipping at the heels of the top eight and they will be keen to continue that surge when they host Manly in Townsville next round.