The Gold Coast have continued the NRL’s round-17 theme of massive upsets with a 14-10 defeat of South Sydney at ANZ Stadium on Monday.

In the most penalised game of the year that was also marred by a huge error count from both sides, the Titans toughed out a deserved three-tries-to-one win.

The win snapped a six-game losing streak for the visitors.

With Souths leading 10-8, a Kevin Gordon try in the 67th minute put the visitors ahead for the first time in the match.

After William Zillman left the field with an arm injury, stand-in fullback Gordon then landed the sideline conversion, and in the final 10 minutes shut down two possible try-scoring movements from the Rabbitohs to help seal the Titans’ win.

The win came just 48 hours after last-placed Cronulla produced one of the greatest upsets in NRL history in a 30-28 victory over premiers the Sydney Roosters.

In a poor first half from both sides characterised by repeated dropped ball and a high penalty count, Rabbitohs five-eighth Luke Keary – in his first game of the year due to a shoulder injury suffered in the Nines – opened the scoring in the ninth minute.

David Mead failed to even attempt to catch a bomb from the Souths playmaker, Nathan Merritt caught the Steeden and flung it inside to Keary who scooped up the ball.

Reynolds converted for a 6-0 lead and then the Souths halfback added a 29th-minute penalty goal.

A stoic Gold Coast finally found the try line when halves Albert Kelly and Daniel Mortimer combined to send captain Zillman over. Mortimer missed an easy conversion for the 8-4 halftime score.

In a forgettable game in which referees Ashley Klein and Gavin Reynolds blew 25 penalties and which brought 27 errors, the Titans’ defence won the day against a below-par Souths.

Rabbitohs prop Luke Burgess was put on report for a high tackle early in the second half on Matt White.

George Burgess left the field with the recurrence of an ankle injury in the 48th minute and didn’t return.