Tale of two halves sees Titans win high scoring game

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Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles v Gold Coast Titans

A total of 76 points were scored at Lottoland as the Titans produced a brilliant second half to beat Manly 42-34.

The first half though belonged largely to Manly, despite the Titans opening the scoring in the seventh minute, when Brenko Lee sent a quick ball from dummy half to Don, who scored in the corner. Taylor converted from touch.

Tom Trbojevic then took the game away from the Titans in the space of six minutes. In the eleventh minute he stepped Hipgrave and then bulldozed over Brimson to score on the right side, which Cherry Evans converted. From the restart, he got the ball early in the set on the left side, bust through the line and ran downfield before passing back inside to his brother Jake, who ran away to score. Cherry Evans again converted. Just three minutes later and from the back of a scrum, the ball was sent right to Trbojevic, who drifted across field before swatting away a pathetic tackle attempt by Hurrell to slide over for another try. Cherry Evans failed to add the extras.

On the half hour, Joel Thompson charged onto a crash ball, running a strong line where he straightened and stormed over for a strong try. Cherry Evans added the extras.

A minute after having made a great try saving tackle, Brimson takes on the line, gets outside of Cherry Evans and hits a small gap out wide to score. Taylor failed to convert. Manly lead by 22-10 at oranges.

The Titans received a hiding from their coach at halftime and responded positively. In the second minute after play resumed, Elgey was at first receiver, threw a dummy, slipped through a gap and then gets a tricky pass against the grain back infield to Taylor, who scored under the posts. He converted.

Manly very nearly responded immediately with a try, but it was disallowed as Lane was offside. The Titans responded immediately. From the penalty they shifted to the left side and Sami runs through a woeful cover tackle attempt by Tom Trbojevic to score in the corner. Taylor again converted to level the scores.

In the 53^rd minute, Mitch Rein ran from dummy half and darted over to score, catching the Manly defence napping. Taylor converted.

With 20 minutes remaining, Stockwell barged, smashed and crashed his way into the defensive line and somehow manages to plant the ball on the line for a try. Taylor nailed the conversion. Taylor converted.

Just 2 minutes later and the Titans were in again. Lee was smashed by Taufua but managed to flick an offload to Brimson, who then ran to the line, grubbered through, regathered and scored a great solo try beside the sticks. Taylor added another goal to the tally.

Addin Fonua-Blake was then given ten minutes in the bin for dissent and 8 minutes later, Dylan Walker took out Ryan James, who has chasing a grubber into the Manly in-goal, earning himself an early shower. Taylor kicked the penalty goal. Manly had two minutes with just 11 men on the field, however the Titans failed to capitalise.

With 7 minutes remaining in the game, Tom Trbojevic linked with his brother and put him over for his second try of the game. Cherry Evans converted.

With seconds remaining in the game, Tom Trbojevic ran like a back rower and smashed his way over Taylor to score his third try of the game. Cherry Evans converted right on full time.

Next weekend Manly head to Campbelltown to face the Tigers, while Gold Coast host Melbourne at Robina.