Argonauts outlast Tiger-Cats in OT

The weight of the world is finally off the shoulders of head coach Bart Andrus and the Toronto Argonauts.

Justin Medlock's 28-yard field goal earned the Toronto Argonauts an exciting 25-22 overtime win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Friday night to snap a club-record 10-game home losing streak.

"We all stood up and ceremoniously took not a monkey but a gorilla off our back," said Andrus, who earned his first home victory after four straight losses. "The guys have persevered, they've endured, they've come along from week to week, they've practised hard throughout.

"It was something that had to go beyond the four quarters but they were able to accomplish the goal and finally put to bed all these demons."

The home victory was the Argos' first since Aug. 1, 2008, against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Toronto (3-7) snapped a five-game losing streak overall before an energetic Rogers Centre gathering of 26,421 — a stark contrast to the crowds of roughly 11,000 fans the Toronto Blue Jays played before earlier in the week.

The Argos split the home-and-home series with Hamilton after losing 34-15 at Ivor Wynne Stadium on Monday and lead the head-to-head series 2-1 with a game remaining.

Hamilton (5-5) suffered its ninth loss in its last 11 appearances at the Rogers Centre.

Medlock's boot came after Hamilton's Nick Setta missed on a 49-yard try on the Ticats' second possession of the extra session. Both kickers had 27-yard field goals on their clubs' opening drives.

Medlock was keen for the OT opportunity after missing from 48 yards early in the fourth for a single that cut Hamilton's lead to 12-11. And although the 28-yard attempt was well within his range, Medlock wasn't taking the kick for granted.

"No, because if you don't hit it well you might miss it," he said. "You still have to hit the ball well and I felt like I hit a good ball."

Hamilton forced overtime on Kevin Glenn's 18-yard TD run on third down with 25 seconds remaining as Setta's convert made it 19-19. Glenn's score capped a 10-play, 71-yard drive that came after Toronto went ahead 19-12 on Jamal Robertson's one-yard TD run — his second of the game — at 11:49, then Cody Pickett's pass to Tyler Scott for the two-point convert.

Bruce has mixed return to T.O. 

Ticats receiver Arland Bruce III had a touchdown against his former teammates. Bruce — who was dealt to Hamilton in late July after getting into a public spat with Argos head coach Bart Andrus — hauled in a five-yard TD strike late in the first half.

Bruce, who was fined by the CFL for a bizarre end-zone celebration honouring former pop star Michael Jackson in Toronto's season-opening win in Hamilton, had a milder one this time. After scoring, he stood on one leg and stretched out his other leg and both arms, still clutching the ball in one hand. He then jogged to the bench, thumping his chest as he played to the Hamilton fans seated in the lower bowl.

Bruce was also involved in a strange play in the second half when he caught a short pass, then tried to lateral to running back DeAndra Cobb. But Cobb was tied up and the ball bounced past him, finally recovered by the Ticats for an 18-yard loss.

Toronto's win was its first in six games since dealing Bruce while Hamilton dropped to 3-3 since acquiring him.

After a somewhat entertaining first half where both offences moved the ball, neither unit was especially effective in the second half. After a scoreless third, Toronto pulled to within 12-11 at 4:20 of the fourth when Medlock missed from 48 yards and Hamilton conceded the single.

Bruce's five-yard TD catch with four seconds remaining in the second quarter earned Hamilton a 12-10 half-time lead after Setta's convert attempt was blocked by linebacker Zeke Moreno.

That would come back to haunt the Ticats who could have won the game with Setta's conversion following Glenn's TD.

"The missed convert was huge," said Hamilton coach Marcel Bellefeuille. "Make it and we would've won the game.

"But you have to give them credit for making that two-point convert. We had every opportunity to win the game but we made mistakes."

Argos offence gets off ground

Bruce's touchdown culminated an entertaining first half, one that saw Toronto's beleaguered offence somewhat come to life. Despite being outgained 244-162, the Argos were at least able to execute a vertical passing attack in the second quarter, in stark contrast to Monday when Hamilton's defence continually pressured Pickett. Afforded some time to look downfield, Pickett was at least able to move the offence in the quarter.

Toronto's first-half TD was set up by a Hamilton miscue.

The Argos got the ball at the Hamilton 34-yard line after Ticats cornerback Lawrence Gordon dropped a third-down pass from punter Setta. Gordon was wide open for an obvious first down but simply mishandled Setta's perfect lob pass.

Robertson took advantage of the miscue, scoring on a sparkling 34-yard run at 6:57 of the second that put Toronto ahead 7-3.