The NZ Warriors have blown another lead, to fall to a disappointing 27-26 Golden Point defeat at the hands of the Gold Coast Titans at Mt Smart Stadium.
The home team conceded 14 points in the final seven minutes, before a field goal by Titans halfback Tanah Boyd put an end to a season to forget for the Warriors.
In what was a dominant first half, the Warriors were quick to stamp their authority, with two tries in as many minutes in the opening 10, with Jesse Arthars and Josh Curran dotting down.
Tohu Harris linked up nicely with Eliesa Katoa, before the Warriors went wide at pace, with Reece Walsh finding Arthars with a beautiful cutout pass. The centre ran a perfect line, to cut back inside and score the game's first try.
Just moments later, the Warriors overcame a mix-up from the kick-off, before Daejarn Asi's kick was dropped by Titans winger Greg Marzhew. Curran pounced on the loose ball to go over for the four points.
Titans makeshift hooker Jarrod Wallace was penalised for a high tackle, gifting the Warriors field position, before being awarded the scrum following a knock-on.
The Warriors immediately went out wide from the scrum, with Chanel Harris-Tavita skipping two players with a huge cutout pass to an unmarked Dalin Watene-Zelezniack, who pulled off an acrobatic dive to score in the corner.
Warriors prop Adin Fonua-Blake looked to have been in for another try, but for some scrambling Titans defence to hold him up.
AJ Brimson looked to ignite a rare Titans attack with a clever grubber kick, but Watene-Zelezniak did well to beat Phillip Sami to the bouncing ball and knock it dead.
But Brimson would get some reward, as he danced around poor Warriors tacklers, to roll over through Reece Walsh's try and score the visitors' first try.
However, that was as good as it got for the Titans, as Curran scored his second try, after a brilliant footrace and put down to extend the Warriors' lead before the break.
The Titans would strike back not long into the second half, with the Warriors guilty of gifting the visitors great field possession with a short-line dropout.
The Warriors initially looked to have done well to challenge the ball, but instead knocked it back to Beau Fermor, who shrugged off Curran and raced away to score the try.
Warriors centre Villiami Vailea would restore order though, after a brilliant individual piece of brilliance, which saw him race almost 60 metres from a scrum to dot down.
The second-half turned into much more of an arm-wrestle, with the wet conditions proving difficult for both teams.
Fonua-Blake almost powered over the tryline a couple of times, but it was the Titans who would cross again.
Gold Coast fullback Jaydeon Campbell received the ball against the run of play, before stepping and weaving his way through a number of Warriors players to cross for the try.
Just two minutes later, the Titans were in again, as former Warrior Paul Turner was the recipient of some clever passing down the left wing, before going over for the try.
With just a minute to go on the clock, Boyd slotted a penalty goal, after Campbell was judged to be tackled high, and forced the game into Golden Point.
Asi would have the first attempt at goal, but his kick was well short, before Campbell was charged down with Warriors players giving little space.
But it was the Titans that would have the final say, with Boyd slotting the field goal with real force to give the Gold Coast the most unlikely of victories.
Warriors 26 (Arthars, Curran 2x, Watene-Zelezniak, Vailea tries; Walsh 2x conversion, Harris-Tavita 1x conversion)
Titans 27 (Brimson, Fermor, Campbell, Turner tries; Boyd 4x conversion, 1x penalty, 1x field goal)
