Gold Coast Titans beat North Queensland Cowboys 28-12 in NRL round 13 clash

IN the short yet chequered history of the Gold Coast Titans there has never been a victory as courageous as last night's 28-12 triumph over North Queensland.

IN the short yet chequered history of the Gold Coast Titans there has never been a victory as courageous as last night's 28-12 triumph over North Queensland.

In a remarkable and committed performance at Skilled Park, the Titans withstood an unprecedented early onslaught from the high scoring Cowboys to conjure a 12-0 half-time lead and ultimately claim their finest win of a difficult season in front of 12,092 fans.

Beset by financial dramas off the field and a five-game losing streak early in the year, the Titans climbed from the canvass with a five tries to two win that secured their third straight victory to move just one win outside the NRL top eight.

"They have displayed the best football they have in two seasons," Queensland great Wally Lewis said in commentary.

"It is a fantastic performance."

In an incredible opening to the game, the Titans had made 46 tackles before they'd even touched the ball after rookie five-eighth Aidan Sezer allowed the kick off to bounce dead in goal.

The Cowboys held possession for six consecutive sets, forced four line drop outs and didn't let the Titans get the ball for seven minutes but never looked like crossing the stripe.

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It wasn't until Brent Tate ran from one side of the field to the other only to get dragged across the touch line by Scott Prince and David Mead that the Gold Coast were able to get possession for the first time in the game.

Given the Cowboys entered last night's game as the second most prolific tryscorers in the NRL, it was incredible defensive commitment by the Titans to hold strong in the opening exchanges.

Adding to the Titans' adversity, veteran prop Luke Bailey was sent to hospital in the first 10 minutes of the game with a rib injury that involved a suspected bone floating freely in his chest cavity.

Last year the Titans would have crumbled and wilted under such intense pressure, but last night they stood together as one and showed their true colours.Whether it be Prince rediscovering his dangerous running game, or Queensland lock Ashley Harrison displaying the work ethic that has made him an Origin superstar, the Titans were simply irresistable.

Harrison was rewarded for his tireless efforts with a fine try in the 56th minute, grabbing Matt Srama's grubber from down near his boot laces to score beside the posts.

Prince looked like he was back to his threatening best with several scheming runs, his best in the first half setting up Greg Bird for a try in the 35th minute that proved a massive psychological blow to the deflated Cowboys.

"We are watching a different Scott Prince than what we saw a couple of months ago," retired great Darren Lockyer said.

"He is running with a bit of speed and dictating terms."

Gold Coast sealed the win when new recruit Beau Champion stormed over in the 61st minute, his first try for the club backed up soon after with his double as he showed the type of form that made him such a valued offseason signing.

The Cowboys were left with several questions hovering over their premiership credentials with the loss.

Notably their inability to convert early pressure into points and a worrying ankle syndesmosis injury to hooker James Segeyaro.

The Cowboys scored two tries in the final 11 minutes - to Cory Paterson and Jason Taumalolo - but by then the Titans were coasting to victory. 

 GOLD COAST 28 (B Champion 2 G Bird K Gordon A Harrison tries S Prince 4 goals) NORTH QUEENSLAND 12 (C Paterson J Taumalolo tries J Thurston 2 goals) at Skilled Park. Referees: Shayne Hayne, Alan Shortall. Crowd: 12,092.

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