The iSelect Gold Titans under-20s side recorded a 70-point turnaround in six days to score a huge 62-22 win over the Manly Sea Eagles at Cbus Stadium this afternoon.
After going down to the Sydney Roosters 46-16 last week, the young Titans put in a great first-half effort to go into the break leading 34-14 before continuing their dominance in the second-half to score the upset victory over the higher-placed Manly outfit.
Kane Elgey, Deacon Fletcher, Zac Spring and Anthony Coleman all grabbed doubles to edge the Titans out to their biggest win of the season.
Although they won by 40 points the Titans began poorly with Manly scoring on their first set through Nicholas Lynn who crossed under the posts to give Luke Garner an easy conversion and a 6-0 lead after just two minutes.
The Titans responded in spectacular fashion with Brian Kelly finishing of a crafty backline play to cross in the corner. Fletcher converted from the sideline to tie the scores up at 6-all.
A penalty piggy-backed the Titans upfield and they took full advantage with Shaun Hudson scooting out from dummy-half to beat three defenders and cross under the posts to give Fletcher an easy conversion and the side a 12-6 lead after 17 minutes of play.
With the momentum now in their favour, the Titans threatened the Manly defence and Coleman received a neat short pass to score under the posts to extend the Titans lead out to 18-6 after 24 minutes.
The Titans went back-to-back from the resulting kick-off with Coleman slicing through to score his second try of the afternoon. With Fletcher adding the extras the Titans lead 24-6 with 15 minutes remaining in the half.
Manly hit back minutes later when fullback Tom Trbojevic sliced through the Titans’ defence to score out wide, but with Garner’s kick sailing wide the Titans lead 24-10 with just under 10 minutes remaining in the half.
The Titans continued to dominate with the ball in hand and Elgey scored under the posts extending the Titans lead out to 28-10.
The Titans had one last crack at the Manly defence before the half-time break and took full advantage with Fletcher crossing before converting his own try to give the Titans a 34-10 lead going into the break.
Manly needed to be the first to score in the second half and they got the luck of the bounce in the 47th minute with Liam Knight grounding a bouncing grubber kick in the in-goal to reduce the margin to 34-14.
But the Titans responded through Fletcher who grabbed his second try of the afternoon before converting his own try to extend the lead out to 40-14.
Manly struck back with back-to-back tries to winger Kyle Saunders and centre Charlie Taylor to reduce the deficit back to 40-22 with 15 minutes remaining,
The Titans ended any hope Manly had of a late surge to victory with Elgey slicing through the grab his second try to give the home-side a 46-22 lead with just over 10 minutes remaining.
The Titans finished the match in style with winger Zac Spring crossing twice and Broadhurst grabbing his second try to give the Titans a 62-22 win.
The Titans will look to keep their winning momentum when they take on the St George Illawarra Dragons at Jubilee Stadium next Sunday.
Gold Coast Titans 62 (D Fletcher 2, K Elgey 2, A Coleman 2, Z Spring 2, C Broadhurst, B Kelly, S Hudson; D Fletcher 9 goals) defeated Manly Sea Eagles 22 (N Lynn, T Trbojevic, L Knight, K Saunders, C Taylor; L Garner goal).
