23/06/2008 10:06 PM
A penalty goal two minutes from full-time has allowed South Sydney to steal a thrilling 24-23 win over an injury-ravaged Gold Coast at ANZ Stadium.
Rabbitohs hooker Issac Luke slotted the two-pointer from 30m out after Titans winger Jordan Atkins was penalised for laying in the tackle.
Gold Coast half-back Scott Prince had the chance to level it up 30 seconds from the end but badly scuffed his field goal attempt.
It was the Bunnies' third win of the year and Gold Coast's fifth failure in six starts on the road.
The Titans played the last 15 minutes of the match without reserves after four players were forced from the field, but appeared to have done enough when Prince snapped a one-pointer with seven minutes left.
But the home side, playing in front of a small but noisy crowd, refused to die.
Often sluggish on the road, the Titans were keen to get off to a good start and got what they were looking for after just 13 minutes.
Hooker Nathan Friend threw a flat, no-look pass from dummy half for second-rower Anthony Laffranchi to plunge over.
Prince kicked the conversion for a 6-0 lead.
Luke decided to go one better on Friend in the 22nd minute, powering over his rival from dummy half for an easy try.
Luke missed the relatively simple conversion but the Rabbitohs were in business at 6-4.
Six minutes later they were in for their second try when Luke again fooled the defence from dummy half, bursting between Michael Henderson and Friend to give the Bunnies the lead for the first time.
The solo acts continued three minutes prior to the interval, Prince stepping off his left foot and wrestling his way over the line to set up Gold Coast's 12-10 half-time lead.
The lead changed hands for the fourth time early in the second half, Souths five-eighth John Sutton powering past three defenders to slam the ball down next to the posts.
Luke resumed goal-kicking duties to add the extras for a 16-12 advantage.
The game then swung back the Titans' way with two tries inside five minutes.
Atkins crossed out wide before Laffranchi followed up with his second as the visitors swept to the front 22-16.
But with Gold Coast reduced to 13 fit men, Souths worked their way back into the game.
David Fa'alogo crashed his way over with 11 minutes to go and Luke added the extras to lock it up at 22-all.
With seven minutes left, Prince took the opportunity to slot a field goal to make it 23-22.
But Luke had the last say, moving South Sydney clear of the competition cellar with his late penalty goal.
South Sydney 24
Tries: Luke 2, Sutton, Fa'alogo
Goals: Luke (3), Sandlow
Gold Coast 23
Tries: Laffranchi (2), Prince, Atkins
Goals: Prince 3
Field Goal: Prince
Sportal Player of the Year
3 - John Sutton (Rabbitohs)
2 - Issac Luke (Rabbitohs)
1 - Mark Minichiello (Titans)