Skip to main content

Toronto Argonauts running back Martese Jackson gets taken down by Ottawa Redblacks defensive back Jean-Philippe Bolduc during first half CFL action in Toronto, on July 24, 2017.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press

Lirim Hajrullahu's 34-yard field goal gave the Toronto Argonauts a wild 27-24 home win over the Ottawa Redblacks on Monday night.

Hajrullahu's field goal on the game's final play capped an eight-play, 52-yard drive after Ottawa rallied to tie the score 24-24 on Trevor Harris's 31-yard TD strike with 2:17 remaining. It came after Toronto's Cody Fajardo was stopped on a third-down gamble, to the dismay of the season-high BMO Field gathering of 15,801.

Toronto quarterback Ricky Ray, who completed 40-of-55 passes for 367 yards, hit Anthony Coombs on a nine-yard TD strike at 6:56 of the fourth to snap a 17-17 tie. It was set up by Marcus Ball's interception.

But the win was a costly one as Toronto (3-2) played the second half without linebacker Bear Woods and defensive linemen Victor Butler and Cleyong Laing.

Butler suffered an apparent knee injury while Woods reportedly underwent concussion protocol and Laing left the field on a cart with a left leg injury.

And that's certainly a concern moving forward as Toronto begins a stretch of four games in 19 days. The Argos visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday night.

The Redblacks (1-4-1) know all about that. They played their third game in 11 nights and fourth in 18 on Monday. But the defending Grey Cup champions showed tremendous grit by rallying to tie the score 17-17 on Josh Stangby's 15-yard run and Mossis Madu's two-point convert in the fourth.

The season-high gathering came on a night when the Argos offered a promotion of two tickets for $19.97 in commemoration of their 1996-97 Grey Cup-winning teams.

Before the game, the Argos added former quarterback Doug Flutie to its all-time team. Flutie played his final two CFL seasons in Toronto, leading the franchise to their Grey Cup titles in 1996-97 before joining the NFL's Buffalo Bills.

Flutie topped the list of former Argos attending the game. Also taking it in were receiver Brandon Marshall of the NFL's New York Giants and Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard.

Declan Cross had a touchdown for Toronto. Hajrullahu booted two converts, two singles and three field goals. The other points came on a safety.

Brad Sinopoli had a touchdown and two-point convert for Ottawa. Brett Maher added a single and convert.

Harris hit Sinopoli on a four-yard TD strike, then for the two-point convert to pull Ottawa to within 12-9 with 50 seconds left in the opening half. Harris fumbled on the half's final play and was slow to get up with an apparent eye injury while Laing was injured while recovering the loose ball.

Both Butler and Woods were hurt earlier in the second and on the bench when Sinopoli registered his scoring grabs.

After Hajrullahu opened the scoring with a 47-yard field goal at 1:52 of the second, Cross hauled in Ray's four-yard touchdown pass to put Toronto ahead 10-0. It capped a smart 11-play, 100-yard drive.

Maher cut Toronto's lead to 10-1 with a missed 54-yard field goal try before surrendering a safety to put the Argos ahead 12-1 at 4:58 of the second.

Hajrullahu accounted for all of the third-quarter scoring with a field goal and two singles that boosted Toronto's lead to 17-9.

The CFL’s new commissioner says the market for Canadian football in Toronto needs to be rebuilt 'brick by brick.' Randy Ambrosie replaces Jeffrey Orridge, who resigned last month.

The Canadian Press

Interact with The Globe