Dolphins down Titans with golden-point penalty goal win

A penalty goal in golden point to Jamayne Isaako has helped the Dolphins secure their eighth win of the season following a 23-21 victory over the Titans at Cbus Super Stadium on Sunday. 

Titans forward Erin Clark was ruled offside in attempting to charge down Isaako's field goal attempt in the 85th minute with referee Grant Atkins not hesitating to give the Dolphins a penalty from in front of the posts to break the deadlock.

It was somewhat of an anti-climactic finish to the match after both sides couldn't be separated for 80 minutes after field goals to Isaako and Tanah Boyd in regular time set up a 21-21 scoreline. 

Isaako appeared to have won the game for his side with a 75th minute field goal before Boyd stepped up to sink his own one-pointer three minutes later and send the game into golden point. 

Adding to the drama, Sean O'Sullivan lost the ball over the line in a try-saving play from Sam Verrills and Jayden Campbell that would've won the game for the Dolphins in regular time. 

Campbell was enormous for the Titans in a beaten side, setting a new record for the club for most metres run in a match with 305 as well as coming up with two big defensive plays to deny the Dolphins during the match. 

Less than three months after the Dolphins rallied from a 26-point deficit to beat the Titans in Round 8, Wayne Bennett's side were back causing their Queensland rivals a headache in front of 18,335 on the Gold Coast.

The Titans led 14-6 early with Kieran Foran instrumental in the first half before a Jarrod Wallace try in the 48th minute sparked a 15-minute Dolphins onslaught that included Kenny Bromwich and Isaako both crossing on the right edge.

A try to Brian Kelly on the left edge got the Titans back level with the Dolphins to set up the grandstand finish. 

Earlier, the visitors crossed first through Connelly Lemuelu after a short pass from O'Sullivan close to the line setting up a 6-0 lead. 

Foran returned serve to produce a masterclass in cut-out passes and set up his own try via an Alofiana Khan-Periera kick before sending Phil Sami over from a scrum four minutes later. 

Titans debutant Jacob Alick appeared to have had a memorable first touch in the NRL when placing a kick in for Khan-Periera to go over but the try was pulled back due to Isaako being impeded in the lead-up.

A penalty goal through Boyd allowed the Titans to skip ahead by eight but that evaporated when Wallace - who bombed a try only a minute earlier - was able to cross when he linked with Isaiya Katoa.

The final 20 minutes of the match was at its see-sawing best before an unnecessary pass from Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui put Jaimin Jolliffe - who couldn't hold the ball - under pressure and enabled the Dolphins to get within striking range in extra time.