NRL: Best leads Cronulla to win over Titans

Andrew Fifita of the Sharks runs the ball during the round 14 NRL match between the Cronulla Sharks and the Gold Coast Titans. Photo / Getty Images.

Cronulla centre Colin Best celebrated his 250th NRL appearance with a crucial second-half try, as the Sharks snapped a two-match losing streak with a 22-12 win over Gold Coast at Toyota Stadium today.

Best, 33, notched the 106th try of his 15-year senior career to give the Sharks a 16-6 advantage.

The Titans cut the deficit to four points with a converted try to centre Beau Champion, but hooker Issac De Gois fortunately regathered his own kick off the leg of a Titans' player to score a match-clinching four-pointer.

The Sharks consolidated their top-eight spot and proved they could win without State of Origin representatives Paul Gallen and Todd Carney, as they notched just their second victory in five games.

In Carney's absence, halves Jeff Robson and Chad Townsend controlled the game well for the Sharks, clearly out-pointing the Titans in the kicking department.

The Titans were missing Origin players, Nate Myles, Ashley Harrison and Greg Bird, and were dealt another blow before the game when captain and halfback Scott Prince withdrew with lower back soreness.

The Sharks dominated the first half but were held to just a Jeremy Smith try until three minutes from the break.

Townsend, who was playing his first game of the year, converted his own try just before the break to give the Sharks a 10-0 advantage that accurately reflected their dominance.

Busy hooker Matt Srama dived over from dummy half early in the second half for the Titans, but Best's four-pointer gave the Sharks breathing space.

-AAP