Canberra have continued on their NRL winning ways, surviving a late scare to pip Gold Coast in golden point via the boot of halfback Jamal Fogarty.
They looked to have thrown away a certain two points, having led 20-10 with just four minutes remaining before conceding a pair of tries to Titans winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira to head to golden point.
The Raiders even looked beaten in the extra period, but were saved by a miracle charge-down by teenage debutant Chevy Stewart to block Kieran Foran’s close-range field goal attempt.
Then fellow teen Ethan Strange found space to break Gold Coast’s line, with Fogarty slotting a field goal to grab the 21-20 victory.
They’ll be questioning how the game even got to golden point, after dominating proceedings but failing to capitalise on their territory.
Khan-Pereira crossed on 76 minutes thanks to a clever set-piece routine with Kelly off a scrum, before finding space to score seconds from time.
Kelly, who’d missed a sideline conversion attempt minutes earlier, stayed calm and slotted the extra two points after the siren.
A double for winger James Schiller should have been enough for Canberra to win comfortably, his second try coming 10 minutes from time off a botched short goal-line drop-out.
Former Titan Fogarty again reminded his old club what they passed up on with a first-class halfback display, taking complete control of the game and assisting one try while forcing four drop-outs to go with the winning field goal.
His side had to stay patient while delivering a barrage in the opening quarter-hour, pinning the Titans deep in their own half until Schiller flew high to ground one of his bombs.
Hudson Young burst through soon after for 12-0, but a peach of a pass from Gold Coast halfback Kieran Foran allowed prop Jaimin Jolliffe to get them into the contest on the stroke of halftime.
And they were only two points down shortly after the break as Harley Smith-Shields capitalised on a soft defensive effort.
It wasn’t the result the Titans were looking for but coach Des Hasler would find it hard to fault their defensive intensity as they repeatedly turned the Raiders away.
Hasler had axed Tanah Boyd and went with AJ Brimson in the halves with Kieran Foran, although the Queensland State of Origin representative was virtually unsighted as they struggled early.
But he came to life when shifted to fullback to cover injured Jayden Campbell (knee), sparking his side as they looked the more likely to grab a winning score.
Canberra second-rower Zac Hosking was in the wars throughout, departing for a HIA in the first half before returning, only to suffer a dislocated shoulder soon after.
Source Agencies
