Cowboys put out the Titans

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North Queensland Cowboys v Gold Coast Titans

The Cowboys looked solid and consistent while the Titans were ill-disciplined, disorganised and one-dimensional in a match won 30-4 by the North Queensland side in Townsville tonight.

The Cowboys got the scoreboard attendant working in the 7th minute when Valentine Holmes used his footwork and speed to get outside David Fifita, then drawing Greg Marzhew before getting a good ball to Murray Taulagi in space, who got a good ball back inside to Tom Dearden in support and the half raced 20 metres to score. Holmes converted.

The Titans replied in the 16th minute when they spread the ball right to Fifita, who shrugged off Holmes, who had rushed up to try and shut down the play. Fifita then drew Taulagi before putting Jamayne Isaako over for a try. Toby Sexton failed to convert.

In the 22nd minute Scott Drinkwater put in a rushed grubber on the short side at the line, where it ricochets and Taulagi regathered it and dived down low to get over the line and score. Holmes converted from touch.

Seven minutes before halftime, the Cowboys scored again this time off the back of a scrum where Drinkwater picked up the ball, 30 metres from the Titans line, where he ran left, got outside Fifita and then sliced through the gap to score in the corner. Holmes narrowly misses the conversion. Two minutes before the break, Erin Clark attempted to barge over to score, but he was held up. At halftime the Cowboys led 16-4.

10 minutes after play resumed Jeremiah Nanai was sin binned for a dangerous tackle, in what could be argued was a tough call. 3 minutes after the home side copped another rough call after a short drop out by the Cowboys didn't go the distance, but Kyle Feldt allowed it to bounce and then miraculously kept himself in the field of play before regathering it up as it passes the 10 metres, but the touch judge mistakenly put his flag up too early, awarding a scrum to the Titans.

Within a minute after returning to the field, Nanai scored after Chad Townsend put a little chip over the defence, Nanai ran through, leapt and took it cleanly and uncontested to score. Holmes converted from the right sideline.

Inside the final 11 minutes and the Cowboys started to lift even more. An escort penalty against the Titans in the 69th minute saw Holmes kick a penalty goal. Just over 2 minutes later Heilum Luki went on a stepping, straightening run before getting caught by 2 defenders, but he kept going forward. A third defender tried to stop him but he wrestled his arm free and managed to get to the line, where he crashed over and scored a powerful try. Holmes again converted.

The Titans became more and more frustrated, ill-disciplined and sloppy but fortunately for them, did not concede any more points.