The Gold Coast Titans have recorded a resounding 20-point victory over the Parramatta Eels at CBus Super Stadium in what was a high quality and entertaining game.
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Neither team was afraid to spread the ball coming out of their own end and look for every little advantage possible, which set it up to be played at a fast pace throughout.
The Gold Coast seemed to dominate the battle of the forwards early in the first half, although persistence from the Eels and a few concentration lapses from the Eels meant the game never got out of control, and it wasn’t until the final 10 minutes when it was decided.
On the back of their forwards domination it was Ashley Taylor and Tyrone Roberts who paved the way for a massive performance, while David Mead was forever popping up with good runs, passes and was also safe as a house at the back of the field.
The try scoring opened early through Konrad Hurrell who crashed over off an Ashley Taylor pass. Hurrell has played a fantastic first half making breaks and strong runs whenever the Titans needed it, and his try was just another one of those strong runs.
Anthony Don would be the next to score, in a try that seemed to come from nothing. Play was on the left and Tyrone Roberts looked to drive a kick over the sideline, with the ball deflecting to Nene McDonald who displayed some fantastic vision to put in a crossfield kick with Don scoring untouched.
Chris McQueen would then add a try of his own on the right-hand side, with another barge over effort, running through the defence.
The Eels stayed persistent to the end of the first half though and were rewarded with a try through Kenny Edwards as he ran over the top of Ashely Taylor from a Clint Gutherson pass.
The second half began in unconvincing fashion for both teams, with Ashley Taylor opening the scoring through a penalty goal, which at the time pushed the Titans two converted tries ahead and seemed to, at least based on the way the Eels had been playing end the game as a real contest.
The Eels, as they did throughout the first half though stayed persistent and in the contest. They never slipped away, and concentration losses from the Titans seemed to continually take over the match.
It took until the 58th minute for the next points to be scored as Eels winger Bevan French scored. It was on the back of one of the luckiest bounces you are ever likely to see, but still off some good attack from the Eels ending in a Gutherson kick.
Eight points behind was as close as the Eels would get though with the Titans scoring a couple of tries in a five minute period as both Nene McDonald and Chris McQueen scored, crossing for his second.
McDonald would score off a crossfield kick from Tyrone Roberts, while McQueen scored off another barge over effort.
The Eels would score one last consolation try through Jeff Robson. It was well deserved for the playmaker after a strong performance as he crashed over next to the uprights.
Ashley Taylor would close it out in style though. Parramatta looked to offload heading out of their own end, but one too many from Michael Gordon ended in the hands of Taylor who streaked away to add another try as the last play of the game.
In the end though, a commanding victory for the Titans as they continue what can only be described as a completely unexpected charge towards the month of September.
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