Bulldogs slip home in Titanic tussle

v BYE

The Gold Coast Titans travelled to Sydney to take on the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at a wet and windy ANZ Stadium on a Saturday afternoon. It would be a game of taking your chances as the Bulldogs took theirs more successfully, finishing 21-20 victors in golden point thanks to the boot of Josh Reynolds.

The Titans played without their enterprising young halfback, Ashley Taylor who was out due to the late concussion sustained last game, with Cameron Cullen replacing him in the halves.

The match started with solid completions from both teams and it was the strength of Zeb Taia that would produce the opening points of the afternoon in the ninth minute. A short pass from Cullen set him up for his fifth try of the season.

Just five minutes later, Josh Morris had a solid run down the left which set-up for the Bulldogs to score through Curtis Rona. A flat pass to the winger was actually tapped on by the Titans' Anthony Don which let Rona score in the left corner.

The kicking game of Josh Reynolds left a little to be desired but and a wobbly pass to the right winger, Sam Perrett was caught with a dive, he managed to scramble ahead to the right corner to plant it down from the Bulldogs second. Holland was unsuccessful with his second attempt from the sideline.

The next ten minutes saw errors aplenty as the torrential rain came down at ANZ Stadium. The Titans even took a penalty goal away to avoid having to hold on to the ball. This tied up the game with six minutes remaining in the first half.

Just two minutes later, the Bulldogs attacked through a good ball to Mbye who broke down the left side. The Bulldogs support was ready and waiting as he threw it inside to Will Hopoate who scored under the posts.

The half-time score was 14-8 to the Bulldogs who, despite some dubious handling had the best of the field position with a stiff wind behind them.

The second half started well for the Titans with a Cameron Cullen 40/20, but they could not convert the field positions. Josh Jackson was showing his dominance in the middle of the park with solid tackles and bustling runs, surely putting his hand up high for Origin selection.

A Bulldogs try in the 53^rd minute by that man, Jackson, after some tidy lead-up work seemed to give the Bulldogs a good enough lead with the Titans attack faltering.

A double penalty to the Titans gave them perfect field position and 2 minutes later David Mead scored wide on the left after a great ball from Greg Bird.  The Titans all of a sudden had some impetus.

In the 70th minute, following a Bulldogs attacking raid and cross field kick, it was Josh Hoffman that would put the Titans back in the game with an 80 metre run after picking up a failed Bulldogs tap back. Roberts' conversion tied up the game with less than ten minutes to go and game on!###>

Several field goal attempts in the dying minutes failed, including a near thing from Josh Morris and the game headed to golden point.

It took just three and a half minutes and an unsuccessful field goal from Tyrone Roberts with hardly any pressure for the Bulldogs to win it as Josh Reynolds slotted it through from 23 metres out.

The Titans were their own worst enemy today with their attack letting them down when they needed it most even with Greg Bird putting in every effort.

The fourth straight loss to the Titans sees them slide out of the top eight, as they prepare for their home clash with the Melbourne Storm next Sunday. The Bulldogs take on the old foe Parramatta next Friday night in what promises to be a cracker at ANZ Stadium.