A hat-trick to centre Brian Kelly has helped the Gold Training Gold Coast Titans under 20s score a convincing 52-10 win over the Parramatta Eels at Pizzey Park this afternoon.
The young Titans produced a dominant performance with halves Josh Ralph and Joshua Rogers guiding the team around the park beautifully to post five first-half tries to take a 30-6 lead into the half-time break.
The Titans continued to cause troubles for the Eels defence in the second-half and with the momentum in their favour produced some quality set-plays to register four second-half tries and knock-up the half-century of points on their way to the on the way to their victory.
It was the Eels who dominated possession and territory early and they were rewarded with a try in the ninth minute to fullback Mason Cerruto when he latched onto a break through the middle from 30 metres. Michael Doolan converted for 6-0.
It took only five minutes for the Titans to respond through prop Nathan Watts from close range. Tyronne Roberts-Davis converted to make it 6-all.
The Titans extended the lead just three minutes later when Kelly shook off defenders close to the line when he ran onto a good offload from halfback Ralph.
Ralph made it 18-6 with a converted try in the 26th minute. The busy halfback latched onto a loose ball around halfway and ran unchallenged to the tryline. Roberts-Davis added the extras.
Kelly was over for his second soon after when a good short ball on the left edge by skipper Jed Cartwright gave Kelly some space and a right-hand fend dismissed a defender and he ran 30 metres to score under the posts, giving Roberts-Davis an easy kick to make it four from four.
However poor work by the Titans allowed the kick-off to bounce into touch and put the home side immediately under pressure. However, the first-half romp continued when Roberts-Davis came up with a runaway try in the ensuing Eels set.
A grubber kick on the last tackle was fielded by Josh Rogers near the try-line and he beat one defender and fed Roberts-Davis who beat another and ran 70 metres to cross on the right. Then he nailed his hardest kick to then to give the Titans a 30-6 lead.
So the Titans went to the dressing sheds at Pizzey Park having scored five successive converted tries after a slow start.
The Titans went further ahead 12 minutes into the second when hooker Jordan Scott crashed over from dummy half after a good run by right centre Phillip Sami got the home side to metres within the try-line. Roberts-Davis made is six from six to take the score to 36-6.
With the momentum in their favour, the Titans continued to dominate and extended their lead through Brimson who sliced through the defensive line to score next to the posts giving Roberts-Davis an easy conversion for a 42-6 lead with just over 20 minutes remaining.
A penalty piggy-backed the Eels up-field and the capitalised with a set-piece on the left edge resulting in centre Dane Aukafolau crossing to reduce the margin back to 42-10.
But the young Titans re-composed themselves and registered another try through lock-forward Apiata Noema-Matenga who barged his way through the defensive line to score under the posts. Roberts-Davis added the extras to give the Titans the 48-10 lead.
The Titans finished the game in style with a razzle-dazzle effort down the left-edge resulting in Kelly reeling in a deft chip-kick to give his side the 52-10 win.
The Titans will look to continue their winning ways when they take on the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks at Cbus Super Stadium.
Gold Coast Titans 52 (B Kelly 3, N Watts, J Ralph, T Roberts-Davis, J Scott, A Brimson, A Noema-Matenga tries; T Roberts-Davis 8 goals) defeated Parramatta Eels 10 (M Cerruto, D Aukofolau tries; M Doolan 1 goals
