Gold Coast have snapped their NRL losing streak in a match marred by a controversial obstruction call against the Sydney Roosters.
The Titans, who had lost their past five matches, claimed a hard-fought 26-6 win on Monday at CBUS Super Stadium.
But the Roosters were left fuming when a sensational 70m try midway through the second half - when they trailed 8-6 - was overturned for obstruction.
Roosters skipper Jake Friend thought he had capped off a brilliant four-pointer before referee Gavin Badger asked for a possible obstruction early in the play to be checked.
The bunker reviewed the incident 40m from the tryline where Daniel Tupou jinked to his right behind Latrell Mitchell.
In the process Titans halfback Ashley Taylor made the slightest of contact with Mitchell but enough for the try to be disallowed.
Within minutes of the ruling the Titans scored three quick tries through David Mead, Chris McQueen and Will Zillman to pull away.
Despite the controversy the final result was just reward for the Titans, who dominated the opening half but only had a two-point lead to show for it.
A brilliant breakaway effort by 18-year-old Mitchell midway through the half had given the Roosters an unlikely lead after the hosts had been camped inside their opponent's 20 for most of the game's early passages.
Impressive forward Agnatius Paasi's desperate effort in the shadows of halftime however proved crucial, giving the hosts a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
The Titans' win was soured with the news winger Mead had suffered a posterior cruciate ligament injury while scoring his try.
"I don't know how bad, but he's in a brace at the moment, we'll wait and see," Titans coach Neil Henry said.
After such a dominant early display, Henry said he was happy his team had finished the game so well.
"We took some opportunities for a change which is great," he said.
"The execution was there and you get rewarded for it ... the boys had a real resolve tonight."
Roosters coach Trent Robinson refused to let the disallowed try be an excuse for a sloppy display by his team.
He said his struggling side simply hadn't fought hard enough to stay in the game before and after the decision.
"That ruling doesn't lose you a game," Robinson said.
"It wasn't the right ruling. Latrell couldn't disappear there ... so it was a poor ruling but you don't lose a game from there.
"There were three tries post that, that's not good enough."
