The Gold Training NYC side have this afternoon defeated the Broncos 24-20 at Suncorp Stadium.
It was a brilliant comeback after the side were trailing 20-6 at half-time and went out to win the second half, 14-nil.
The opening quarter for the Titan was not what they were looking for with the Broncos running in two converted tries to open up a commanding lead. The first of the tries saw the home side go 90m in a set to score with back rower Lachlan Lanskey running a good line, before then shrugging off the cover defence and going over to score. Halfback Gerome Burns converted to make it 6-nil.
The home side then went over for their second try through centre Gehamat Shibasaki. Burns again converted with the scoreboard now reading 12-6.
It was in the 19th minute that the Titans answered back off the back of a penalty that gave them good field position. Hooker Corey Manicaros spotted a gap at dummy-half and burrowed over to score. Ethan Roberts had the kicking duties and converted, Titans 6 – Broncos 12.
Shortly after the Broncos gained a repeat set and then a penalty that had them camped in Titans territory and they were able to turn it into more points with prop forward Payne Haas the scorer. Haas had the ball dropped off the hip and he simply had too much strength to go over. Burns couldn’t convert, Broncos 18 – Titans 6.
Five minutes before the half-time break is always a nervous period for a coach and Ben Woolf would have been ripping his hair out when the Broncos went in for their fourth try of the afternoon. It was a shift to the right and Lanskey scored his second try. Burns couldn’t convert with the scoreboard reading, Broncos 20 – Titans 6.
It was a slow start to the second stanza but back to back tries in the 54th (AJ Brimson) and 57th (Justin Fai) put the young Titans back in the match. Roberts was able to convert both tries and the scoreboard now read 20-18 in favour of the Broncos.
The second half was all the Titans and they hit the front for the first time in the 68th minute when Fai crossed for his second try of the afternoon. Roberts converted to put them in front 24-20. You could hear the celebrations from high in the stands when they hit the front and after losing both Manicaros and Apiata Noema to injury in the first half.
The young Titans were able to hold on for the remaining of the match to hold on for a 24-20 victory.
TITANS 24 (Fai 2, Manicaros, Brimson Tries; Roberts 4 Goals)
Def.
BRONCOS 20 (Lanskey 2, Shibaski, Haas Tries; Burns 2 Goals)
At: Suncorp Stadium
