Game Summary

It was a beautiful day in Hamilton as the Tiger-Cats and Argonauts prepared to take the field to write the latest chapter of their Labour Day Classic confrontations. Hamilton entered the game still smarting from their Week 8 loss to the Boatmen, while the surging Argos were looking to improve their record to 6-4 with a victory. The game started as tight defensive battle with neither team scoring in the first quarter of play. K Arek Bigos was responsible for establishing the first point of the game 3:59 of the second period when his 48-yard FG attempt sailed wide scoring a single giving Toronto the lead. K Paul Osbaldiston responded for Hamilton by hoofing a 40-yard FG at 8:26. At 11:48 a tough goal line stand by the Hamilton defence forced Bigos to kick a 9-yard FG re-establishing Toronto’s a slim 1-point advantage. Hamilton regained their lead before the half, however, when Osbaldiston nailed a 45-yard FG making the score 6-4 in Hamilton’s favour as the teams left the field to prepare for the third quarter. In the third period, QB Danny McManus completed a 13-yard pass to SB Mike Morreale. Morreale then lateraled the ball to wide-out Bobby Olive as he was being tackled. Olive took the ball and proceeded into the end zone from 38 yards out for the game’s first major at 4:56. Osbaldiston’s convert was good extending Hamilton’s lead to 9 points. Bigos’ 28-yard FG at 11:48 rounded out the scoring in the quarter. In the final stanza of play, Hamilton began to pull away from their cross-town brethren when Osbaldiston nailed a 34-yard FG 8 seconds into play. Then McManus took off on a rare rushing attempt and was rewarded with a 1-yard TD play at 10:44. Osbaldiston’s convert split the uprights as did his 10-yard FG at 14:45 to end the scoring in the match with Hamilton up by a 26-7 margin to the delight of the fans in a sold out Ivor Wynne Stadium. The win vaults Hamilton back into a first place tie with Montreal for the best record in the CFL while dropping Toronto to an even .500 on the season. The game also marked the first time Hamilton has won this classic holiday battle since 1993 when the Tabbies defeated their arch rivals by a 23-2 score.