Titans unbeatable at home - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Titans unbeatable at home

By Wayne Heming 27/06/2009 08:07:33 PM Comments (0)

Skilled Park claimed another victim as the Gold Coast maintained their unbeaten home record and a share of the NRL premiership lead by touching up the Warriors 28-12 on Saturday.

Wingers David Meade and Kevin Gordon celebrated with two tries each.

Despite having Origin representatives Luke Bailey and Ashley Harrison watching from the sidelines, along with dual international Mat Rogers and Mark Minichiello, plus late withdrawal Chris Walker (migraine headache), the Titans had too much attacking speed for the clumsy Warriors who fell back into bad old habits of pushing passes and taking poor last tackle options.

It was the Titans seventh successive win at their Skilled Park fortress and they remain unbeaten at home this season, along with the Bulldogs.

Mead, an exciting young winger tipped for big things after making his international debut for PNG in last year's World Cup, bagged two tries after being called up late to replace Walker.

He stretched out and planted to ball to claim his first try in the first half following some slick passing from his inside backs before being the beneficiary of massive Scott Prince cut out pass that allowed him to stroll over for his second soon after half time.

Prince spotted Mead all on his lonesome on the right wing.

While his cut-out pass didn't reach the young winger on the full, it bounced up like it was on a string for him to score untouched.

His second try gave the Titans a commanding 22-2 lead before the Warriors finally found their way to the try line through a sidestepping Lance Hohaia in the 49th minute.

Not to be outdone, "Flash" Gordon, the quickest player in the club, pulled of an intercept in the 65th minute, his try slamming the door on any comeback by the Warriors by pushing the score out to 28-6.

Titans prop Michael Henderson showed plenty of courage taking the field in the second half after fracturing his thumb early in the game.

Mark Zillman, who came into the Titans starting line-up to allow fullback Preston Campbell to shift to five-eighth, excited fans with several zig-zagging bursts.

It took a desperate tackle from Warriors fullback Wade McKinnon to stop him scoring in the 19th minute.

The Warriors grabbed a late consolation try when second-rower Lewis Brown crashed through Brett Delaney and Brad Meyers to make it 28-12.

Veteran half Stacey Jones almost scored soon after but lost the ball close to the line when wiped out in a tackled by Titans prop Meyers.

Warriors coach Ivan Cleary with disappointed with his player's execution and failure to finish off a number of opportunities.

"Our execution was pretty bad," said Cleary who will keep his players in camp on the Gold Coast to prepare for next weekend's clash with Brisbane.

"Their two 100 metre intercept tries didn't help.

"The first one was a gift, the second was a good read a big play."

Titans coach John Cartwright only told Gordon on Saturday morning he was playing after Walker was not 100 per cent.

"He's been scoring a heap of tries in the Queensland Cup and I've been busting to give him another chance (in the NRL," said Cartwright.

"Their tries were no flukes, they work hard at it at training."

Cartwright was also please with confident game of stand-in fullback William Zillman who made several dangerous breaks in open play.

"It's tough coming back from one knee reconstruction, but he's had two," said a pleased Cartwright.

"He handling the ball more and getting better with each game."

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