Blue banged up in debacle

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This article was published 25/09/2011 (5364 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO — No one was good on this night. Not the Argos, not the Bombers and not the referees. From top to bottom this was a debacle and it was fitting the winning points came as a result of a missed field goal.

Pro football? In name but not in form on Saturday night, as the league-worst Argos, by virtue of making fewer mistakes, took a 25-24 win over the CFL-leading Winnipeg Blue Bombers before an announced attendance of 19,108 at Rogers Centre.

The Argos turned the ball over five times while the Bombers gave it away four times.

The loss was bad enough for the Bombers, but the MASH unit that developed on their sideline as the night progressed could be far more damaging. Seven Blue Bombers were unable to finish the game, including quarterbacks Buck Pierce and Alex Brink.

“That’s the most injuries I’ve seen in my 11-year career,” said Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice. “We were in a position to win the game in a number of ways. Great character by the team to put ourselves in position in the fourth quarter to win.

“We were even in position to kick a game-winning field goal but we were offside. I told the team that I was proud of them. They handled more adversity than I’ve seen in my career and I told them I was proud of them for that. But there are no moral victories.”

The Bombers host the Montreal Alouettes Friday in a game that will have major significance in the East Division standings. Winnipeg now owns an 8-4 mark after losing three of its last four games and the Als are right behind at 7-5.

The game will be the second in a season series of three, potentially setting up a late-October matchup between the clubs in a battle for tops in the East and a pass directly to the division final.

Winnipeg lost quarterback Buck Pierce in the second quarter and backup Alex Brink in the fourth, promoting clipboard-carrier Justin Goltz into the game. Running backs Fred Reid and Carl Volny left the game as did offensive lineman Brendon Labatte. Defensive linemen Doug Brown and Rodney Fritz were also injured and unable to finish.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a crazier game. That one had it all,” said Argos coach Jim Barker. “I know they lost Buck Pierce and they lost whoever they lost. I don’t care. It’s a win for our guys and they deserved it and I was proud of them. It’s about time some of this stuff turned for them.”

Goltz hit receiver Clarence Denmark in the end zone with an 18-yard pass to tie the game at 24-24 late in the fourth quarter, but in a game that had already seen several strange plays there was one more to come.

The Argos (3-9) drove to the Bombers’ 39-yard line and brought in kicker Noel Prefontaine. He missed on his first attempt but the play was scratched due to a whistle blown in the stands.

Prefontaine was given a second attempt and missed again, but the Argos were able to hem Jovon Johnson in the end zone to pick up a single point and the win.

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @garylawless