90 minutes for Canberra to snatch victory against Brave Titans

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Canberra Raiders v Gold Coast Titans

The Canberra Raiders have snatched victory in the very dying seconds of Golden Point thanks to a Jamal Fogarty field goal that gave them a 21-20 over a Gold Coast Titans side who themselves sent the game to golden point in the final seconds.

If you looked at statistics alone, the Raiders should have blown the Titans off the park with a lopsided possession and territory count in their favour but they couldn't get their attack going and could only manage a six point lead at the break.

The home-side opened the scoring after 20 minutes and it was a repeat process for the Raiders to keep kicking towards their right side and eventually it worked when James Schiller outjumped Brian Kelly to score. Canberra then added a second try just shy of the half-hour mark when Hudson Young went at the line and got the ball to the line to the satisfaction of referee Kasey Badger.

Despite having the stats against them, the Titans were able to hit back on either side of the half time break when Kieran Foran connected with Jaimin Joliffe to score next to the uprights. The opening points for the Titans came after a wait for the bunker to overturn a live decision of No Try when former Raider Harley Smith-Shields got to a loose ball first.

The Raiders extend their two point lead out to four points after the Titans were penalised for a late hit on Jamal Fogarty.

The points dried up for the next 20 minutes or so as Canberra were able to clean up a short dropout from the Titans as they mounted pressure and it was James Schiller who picked up his second of the night.

Any hope of a miracle comeback looked extinguished for the Titans as Mo Fotuaika lost the ball close to the line inside the final four minutes but the hope remained for the visitors as a lost ball gave the Titans good field position and Alofi Khan-Pereira scored not once but twice in the last three minutes.

The fate of the game rested on Brian Kelly who had never even had an attempt on goal in his NRL career before tonight and after a wild shank for the first, he had a second tough chance to force golden point. As if almost a fairytale, the second sideline attempt went through and scores were locked at 20-20.

The only scoring chance in the first half of Golden Point came to the Raiders when Pasami Saulo thought he had sealed the game for Canberra when a Fogarty kick was spilt by the Titans and cleaned up by Saulo. Despite the celebrations, referee Kasey Badger initially ruled no try believing that there was a knock-on by Seb Kris in the contest and ultimately her live decision was upheld by Peter Gough in the bunker.

The second half saw the game open up a bit more and it was the Titans who blinked first with Kieran Foran missing two field goal attempts in the mid-way part of the half and it was the second shot that went dead that helped Canberra.

A big run from Ethan Strange off the 20m restart saw Canberra get into attacking position in the dying seconds of the game. It was now or never for the Raiders and Jamal Fogarty nailed the field goal attempt from right in front to seal the 21-20 win.

Next week, the Raiders head to Brisbane for a fierce battle against Brisbane whilst the Titans return home where they take on the Manly Sea Eagles.