80 minutes wasn’t enough to separate the Titans and Dolphins in a Sunday afternoon thriller on the Gold Coast.
Result
The Dolphins 23
Tries: Connelly Lemuelu (16), Jarrod Wallace (47), Kenny Bromwich (58), Jamayne Isaako (61)
Goals: Jamayne Isaako 3 (17, 49, 85)
Field Goal: Jamayne Isaako (74)
Gold Coast Titans 21
Tries: Kieran Foran (27), Phillip Sami (31), Brian Kelly (65)
Goals: Tanah Boyd 4 (28, 32, 38, 67)
Field Goal: Tanah Boyd (78)
Report
Golden point was required to separate the Dolphins and Titans in front of 18,335 fans at CBUS Super Stadium with the two sides playing out a thriller to close round 19.
In the end, it was Jamayne Isaako who stepped up to guide the Dolphins to a 23-21 victory.
Played in perfect conditions, neither side were willing to be the first to blink, resulting in the ball being in play for more than twelve consecutive minutes before the Titans were penalised for an escort. It proved telling as the Dolphins shifted left in the ensuing set, with Sean O’Sullivan sending Connelly Lemuelu through a gap for the first try. Jamayne Isaako converted to give them a 6-0 lead.
The game slowly started to turn in favour of the Titans, with Brian Kelly stopped just short of the tryline. Alofiana Khan-Pereira touched down in the next set from a grubber by debutant Jacob Alick, however the try was revoked when the bunker ruled that the winger had pushed Isaako on the way through.
They finally got on the board in the 28th minute when Keiran Foran put Khan-Pereira into space with a cutout pass before staying in support for a chip ahead. Tanah Boyd landed the conversion from out wide to bring the scores to 6-all.
A Foran cutout to the right wing minutes later saw Phil Sami touch down in the corner, with Boyd again converting to put the Titans ahead 12-6.
Boyd added a penalty goal shortly before half time, giving the Titans a 14-6 lead at the break.
The Dolphins looked to have missed an opportunity to close the deficit early in the second half when Jayden Campbell knocked down a Jarrod Wallace pass, however it mattered for little when Wallace went himself in the next set and crashed over next to the posts.
The Titans were denied their second try in the 58th minute when Brian Kelly dropped a Foran grubber in goal.
It proved costly as the Dolphins marched down the other end and took the lead with back-to-back tries, first to Kenny Bromwich, then Isaako picking up a loose ball after Khan-Pereira dropped a bomb.
Down 20-14, the Titans needed to be next to score, and it was Foran who turned provider again, finding Kelly on the left wing to slice through. Boyd landed the conversion from the sideline to bring the scores level with 14 minutes remaining.
A rush of blood saw Khan-Pereira kick the ball dead with seven minutes left. It proved costly for the Titans as Isaako landed the field goal from simple range to put the Dolphins ahead.
From the next set, O’Sullivan looked to have scored the match-winner when he crossed after running the ball on the last, however the bunker overruled the on-field decision when O’Sullivan was found to have knocked on.
That gave the Titans the seven-tackle set they needed to get down the other end for Boyd to continue his excellent afternoon with the boot, landing the field goal despite a touch to send the game to golden point at 21-all.
Neither side were able to get in position to win for the first few minutes of golden point, until a Titans error coming out of trouble put the Dolphins on the attack. Isaako’s attempt at field goal sailed wide, however Erin Clark was caught offside by referee Grant Atkins, allowing Isaako to land a penalty goal and claim a 23-21 win.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 – Jarrod Wallace (Dolphins)
2 – Keiran Foran (Titans)
1 – Sean O’Sullivan (Dolphins)
