Late drive keeps Als perfect at home

Now that one counted.

Avon Cobourne scampered home from 12 yards out with just over a minute to play, giving the Montreal Alouettes a come-from-behind 28-24 victory over the B.C. Lions at Stade Percival Molson on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

The score was similar to one Cobourne had taken away from him late in the front end of the home-and-home last weekend by a confused set of game officials — something that led to the Canadian Football League issuing an apology a few days later.

That call cost the Als a chance at the win, but not this time.

"It really wasn't a revenge thing for me," Cobourne said. 'I felt we lost the game last week on plays before that, not on that play.

"I don't know what would have happened at the end of that game anyway. All that matters is this game here and we got the win."

Montreal improved to 8-2, while the Lions drop to 4-6 as B.C. coach Wally Buono failed in his first attempt to pass Don Matthews to become the winningest coach in CFL history.

Calvillo goes to work

B.C. had clawed its way back into this one with two fourth quarter touchdowns, one by receiver Ryan Grice-Mullen on a reverse, and the other a 43-yard pass and run to veteran Geroy Simon from Jarious Jackson, making it 24-20.

But following a single that closed the gap to three, and staring at his first home loss since August of 2008, Als' pivot Anthony Calvillo went right to work as the clock wound down.

Key to the final drive was a 56-yard passing play that found Jamel Richardson behind a collapsed Lions' secondary and brought the ball down to the 24, setting up Cobourne's score three plays later.

As happened last week, the teams fought through a scoreless first quarter and as the big crowd slumbered in the sun halfway into the second period, the Als' offence finally awakened, with Calvillo taking them five plays and 72 yards for a touchdown.

Soon after it was 10-0 with a David Duval field goal from 20 yards out. A trade of field goals sent the teams to the dressing room with Montreal up 13-3.

Jarious Jackson finished the half a poor six of 16 for 61 yards, generating just four first downs. He came on in the second half to finish 16-32 for 228 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Calvillo left unprotected

The rebuilt Montreal offensive line left Calvillo vulnerable early in the third quarter and a quick sack and fumble gave the Lions a first down on the Als' 19 that led to a touchdown throw to O'Neil Wilson on the next play, cutting the lead to 13-10.

But Calvillo brought his club right back down the field and on first-and-goal he ran it in himself from nine yards out to restore the 10-point gap heading for the fourth.

He ended the day 29 of 41 for 334 yards, one touchdown and an interception.

Though the Lions started 1-4, they have improved greatly in the past month, but Buono wasn't taking that too much to heart.

"You get no solace out of losing," Buono said. "We're 4-6. I know we're a good 4-6 team, but that's not something to be real proud of, right?"