Penrith Panthers vs Gold Coast Titans: NRL live scores, blog

Ha ha, showing my age....

An important win for them, the second half was much better.

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Match report Penrith 24 Gold Coast 16 Penrith have overcome a scrappy first half to post a 24-16 win over the Titans at Pepper Stadium. The win continues the Panthers’ charge toward the top 8. They’ve now won 7 of their past 9 matches to draw level with St George on 8th spot, though the Dragons play Manly tomorrow and could retain 8th spot outright if they can upset the Sea Eagles. For the Titans, the loss ends their three-game winning streak and almost certainly ends their finals’ hopes. The Titans opened the scoring in the 14th minute when halfback Ash Taylor threw an inside ball to put winger Will Zillman through a gap. Zillman then drew Penrith fullback Dylan Edwards to put Jarryd Hayne over for the try. The Panthers made a lot of handling errors in the first half, pushing passes and not showing patience in attack. But they scored a try against the run of play five minutes before half-time, after backrower Corey Harawira-Naera put a big hit on Titans five-eighth Tyrone Roberts and forced the ball loose. Penrith centre Waqa Blake scooped up the ball and ran 70 metres to score under the posts. The teams went into the sheds locked at 6-all. The Titans lost centre Konrad Hurrell with a hamstring injury early in the first half, while Penrith captain Matt Moylan was struggling with his own hamstring injury. The second half was shaping up as a dogfight, with both teams desperate for the two points. Penrith went ahead for the first time in the match with a penalty goal to halfback Nathan Cleary early in the second half. That was quickly followed by a second try to centre Waqa Blake in the 47th minute after the Panthers put the ball through the hands of their backline. But the Titans hit back with a try to make the score 14-10 after Titans’ winger Anthony Don grounded an Ash Taylor grubber out wide. Then in the 62nd minute, Penrith skipper Matt Moylan intercepted an Ash Taylor pass and was able to run 35 metres to score, despite his hamstring troubles. He went off immediately after scoring the try. The Panthers skipped out to 24-10 with ten minutes to go when Nathan Cleary threw a cut-out pass to put winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak over. Tyrone Roberts scored late for the Titans to make the final scoreline 24-16.

Full-time The hooter sounds and its victory for Penrith! Penrith 24 Gold Coast 16

77’ Dylan Edwards takes a last tackle Titans’ bomb, Panthers now working it out of their own territory and winding the clock down. Penrith 24 Gold Coast 16

76’ Good work from Taylor and Proctor to put Roberts over for that try. Roberts converts his own try. Penrith 24 Gold Coast 16

75’ Try!! Titans (Roberts) Penrith 24 Gold Coast 14 Kick to come

74’ Another repeat set for the Panthers as Don is trapped in goal. Penrith 24 Gold Coast 10

72’ Penalty to the Panthers in the restart set. They’ll take the tap inside the Titans’ half. Penrith 24 Gold Coast 10

70’ Great cut-out ball from Cleary to put his winger (DWZ) over for that try. Cleary misses the conversion but the Panthers should win from here. Penrith 24 Gold Coast 10

69’ Try!! Penrith (Watene-Zelezniak) Penrith 24 Gold Coast 10 Kick to come

68’ Another repeat set for the Panthers as Don is trapped in goal. Penrith 20 Gold Coast 10

67’ Repeat set for the Panthers after Tyrone Roberts is forced to ground the ball in goal. Penrith 20 Gold Coast 10

64’ Moylan has gone off after that try, Titans now working it out from their own line after the restart set. Penrith 20 Gold Coast 10

63’ Moylan’s hamstring was good enough to let him run 40 metres to score after intercepting an Ash Taylor pass. Cleary converts to give Penrith a handy lead. Penrith 20 Gold Coast 10

62’ Try!! Penrith (Moylan intercept) Penrith 18 Gold Coast 10 Kick to come