For the second time in as many home NRL games, Gold Coast have suffered late heartbreak, this time losing to Newcastle on Sunday.
Knights veteran Jeremy Smith scored with four minutes to go as the visitors kept their unbeaten status in 2015 with a 20-18 win.
Having lost in the dying seconds of their season opener against Wests Tigers, the defeat was agonising for Gold Coast, who have now lost their first three matches of the season for the first time since their wooden spoon campaign in 2011.
It caps another big week for the Titans, who had State of Origin stars Greg Bird and Dave Taylor as well as Beau Falloon back in the line-up after the club-imposed suspensions on the trio were lifted on Tuesday, amid allegations of cocaine supply.
After a first half where the Knights dominated possession and took a 14-6 lead into the dressing rooms, five-eighth Aidan Sezer's second-half double had the crowd of 6962 on their feet.
Sezer scored early in the second half when he regathered his own bomb after Knights youngster Sione Mata'utia allowed it to bounce.
He then put the home team ahead 20 minutes later when Anthony Don sprinted clear from deep inside his own half and from the resulting play the ball Sezer skipped through some unorganised Knights defence to cross.
From there the Knights rallied, laying siege on the Titans half, aided by some poor kicking by the home team's halfback Daniel Mortimer, who twice booted the ball out on the full.
Forward Eddy Pettybourne was placed on report for a high shot on Korbin Sims while Taylor was also placed on report late in the game, although it was Bird who had committed the infringement by hitting Jarrod Mullen late.
Fullback Josh Hoffman pulled off a sensational try-saving tackle to bundle Joseph Leilua into touch when the Knights centre appeared destined to score but Hoffman's efforts only delayed the inevitable as Smith snatched the win.
Apart from the confusion over Taylor being placed on report, the Titans also were left fuming by the officials in the first half when the video referee ruled Sims had knocked the ball backwards in the build-up to the visitor's second try despite it looking like a certain knock-on.
Titans coach Neil Henry said his team had put in plenty of effort but it means little if they can't start turning that into results.
"We could be two wins and four points but we're not and we need to look at reasons for why we aren't and then convert that into points, get more consistent as a team," Henry said.
"We need to get a bit more cohesion about what we're doing with ball."
Falloon, Bird and Taylor would speak to media following the game but Henry did admit he was hopeful their return would quieten down the off-field heat around his squad.
"We can get on with the footy and that's what we've done," he said.
"I didn't expect them to go out and try to prove any points, just get out and play footy, and that's what they did."
Knights captain Kurt Gidley said his team's third come-from-behind victory in as many games was all about a growing belief within the squad.
"Our character and desire is our most important thing for us at the moment," Gidley said.
"Even in the last five minutes there we were composed ... we wanted to win the game.
"That character and that desire is something we need to keep."
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