Mark Hughes at EnergyAustralia Stadium
The Gold Coast Titans have joined the Dragons at the top of the NRL ladder with a thrilling 38-36 win over a brave Newcastle Knights in a see-sawing battle at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Titans struck early before the Knights ran in three tries to hold a 18-6 lead before the Titans hit back to trail 20-16 at half-time.
The Titans regained the lead early in the second half before the Knights came back to lead 30-22 lead after 56 minutes.
But a couple of crucial errors from the home side allowed the Titans back into match and Gold Coast scored two more tries to lead 38-30 before a late surge from Newcastle ensured a thrilling finish.
The win, the third in the row for the Titans, sees them draw level with the Dragons on 14 points but will sit in second place on for and against.
The Knights will rue another missed opportunity and sit in 11th place on six points after nine rounds
The match started in perfect conditions in Newcastle but it was the Titans who had all the early ball and they turned their mountain of possession into points when they worked an overlap on the left side for centre Clinton Toopi to slice through out wide. Scott Prince threaded the conversion to give the visitors a 6-0 lead after nine minutes.
Newcastle hit back almost immediately when a defensive penalty from the Titans put the Knights in to good field position. They worked play to towards the posts where five-eighth Jarrod Mullen attracted two defenders before popping a lovely ball for centre Keith Lulia to crash over 15 in from the wing. Kurt Gidley converted to make it 6-6 after 14 minutes.
The Knights hit the lead four minutes later after a lovely cut-out ball from Scott Dureau put winger Akuila Uate into space on the halfway line. The speedstar sprinted inside the Titans 20 and attracted the cover defence before turning the ball inside for Gidley to dive over in the corner. The Knights skipper converted from the sideline to make it 12-6 halfway through the first half.
The Knights were in again just a few moments later when another defensive penalty against the Titans put Newcastle on the attack.
The home side worked play right then left before a crossfield kick from Mullen was allowed to bounce in the in-goal and Knights halfback Scott Dureau touched down beside the posts for Newcastle's third four-pointer. Gidley converted to make it 18-6 after 25 minutes.
The Titans hit back with a beautifully worked try with a scissors movement between Greg Bird and Scott Prince that allowed Preston Campbell to sprint through a gap and over for a try next to the uprights. Prince converted to see his side trailing 18-12 with 12 minutes remaining in the first half.
The Knights extended their lead just before half-time when Prince was penalised for a high shot on Dureau after the Knights halfback had put in a crossfield kick. Gidley steered the ball between the posts to give Newcastle a handy 20-12.
The Titans scored their third try just seconds before the break. Winger Kevin Gordon made a break down the left wing before being brought down 10 out from the Knights tryline by a good cover tackle from Gidley. The Gold Coast swung the ball to the opposite