Canberra Raiders 22
Greg Bird slotted a golden-point field goal to pilot Gold Coast to an extraordinary 23-22 NRL win over Canberra at Canberra Stadium tonight.
Canberra seemed set to consign the Titans to their fourth loss from as many starts in 2011 before shocking blunders from veteran halfback Matt Orford and winger Blake Ferguson invited the Titans back into the contest.
With the Raiders leading 22-16 with 40 seconds remaining, Orford inexplicably knocked on from the scrum base before Gold Coast back-rower Anthony Laffranchi scored from the ensuing set of six.
Then Ferguson knocked on inside his own 10 metres in extra time to allow Bird to boot the winning field goal.
While the Titans were jubilant, the Raiders were not helped by a poor defensive effort and a sloppy kicking game from Orford, who has now lost all three games he has played with his new club.
It was an heroic display from the Titans, who had star halfback Scott Prince ruled out before the game with a hamstring problem and then lost their second-choice No.7 in the second half when Preston Campbell went off with a knee injury.
Despite the Prince setback, Gold Coast got on the board first through a try to Bird before Joel Thompson opened the Raiders' account to lock the scores at 6-6.
Brad Meyers then crossed for the visitors to re-take the lead, but a Daniel Vidot try just before the break left the Titans holding a 12-10 halftime advantage.
The Raiders copped a blow in the first half with fullback Josh Dugan appearing to aggravate the calf problem which kept him off the field earlier this year.
He departed in the 25th minute and did not return.
A 56th-minute try scored and converted by Raiders centre Jarrod Croker put the home side in front for the first time 16-12, but the Titans replied almost immediately through Bodene Thompson.
Front rower Dane Tilse crashed over in the 68th minute for a Canberra side that had all the momentum and seemed likely winners heading into the closing stages.
The against-the-odds win was the Gold Coast's first ever in the national capital.
Gold Coast 23 (G Bird A Laffranchi B Meyers B Thompson tries P Campbell 2 G Bird goals G Bird field goal) bt Canberra 22 (J Croker J Thompson D Tilse D Vidot tries J Croker 3 goals) in golden-point extra time at Canberra Stadium. Referee: Matt Cecchin, Steve Lyons. Crowd: 12,165.
- AAP
