Game Summary

It was a true test for the 1-6 Riders as the 6-1 Argonauts rolled into town. Winner of their last six in a row, the Argonauts were coming off a 24-21 win over the Edmonton Eskimos. The Rough Riders, on the other hand, suffered a heartbreaking 31-27 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last week. Toronto drew first blood at 13:47 of the opening frame when RB Mike “Pinball” Clemons bounced into the end zone from 1 yard out. K Mike Vanderjagt added his first of five consecutive converts. This was to be the only scoring in the first quarter. Ottawa countered early in the second frame when QB Steve Taylor, who was a surprise starter in place of injured pivot David Archer, hooked up with WR Robert Gordon for a 55 yard bomb 26 seconds into the quarter. The convert attempt was no good preserving a 1 point Toronto lead. DB Tommy Henry brought the 15,220 in attendance to their feet less than a minute later when he picked off a Doug Flutie pass and ran it back 54 yards for the TD. Lammle was good on this convert attempt putting the Riders up by 6. Flutie wasted no time in regaining the Argonaut lead finding WR Tyrone Williams for a 7 yard TD at 5:34. The two kickers would trade FGs to round out the first half with the Argonauts clinging to a 17-16 lead. Whatever Argonaut head coach Don Matthews said to his club during half-time must have worked because they came out in the second half and dominated. At 4:47, RB George Nimako broke through the line and blocked a Wayne Lammle punt. DB Greg Eaglin recovered it in the end zone for the major. A Vanderjagt single increased the Toronto lead to 9, before Clemons would add another short yardage plunge into the end zone. Lammle closed out the third quarter scoring with a 38 yard FG to make the score 32-19. Clemons added to the Toronto lead 1:10 into the final frame when he hooked up with Flutie for a spectacular 21 yard TD catch, his third TD of the game. Vanderjagt would close out the scoring with just 44 seconds left when he booted a 35 yard FG to give Toronto a 42-19 victory. The Rough Riders will have an opportunity to avenge their loss as they hook up with Toronto again next Saturday at SkyDome.