After 12 straight losses, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats collected their first win of the season with a nail-biting 27-24 overtime victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders Friday night at Ivor Wynne Stadium.
Osbaldiston, who was on his way to one of the worst performances of his career, went from goat to hero after he squeezed a 38-yard field goal through the uprights for the win.
"It went according to script," joked Hamilton coach Ron Lancaster, whose squad improved to 1-12 on the season. "It seemed the longer the game went, the harder they played. We seemed to be taking control of the game the longer it went and that's a good sign.
Saskatchewan Roughriders wide receiver Jamal Richardson (89) makes a touchdown catch as Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive back Brandon Hamilton (31) tries to defend during CFL action in Hamilton on Friday. (CP/Frank Gunn)
"We missed that extra point down there (in the fourth quarter) and they could have just folded it up and said this is ridiculous. But they didn't. They came back and found ways to win."
Osbaldiston's decisive kick came just after the Roughriders failed to score on their drive in extra time.
Paul McCallum, an 86 per cent field-goal kicker, shanked his 32-yard attempt low and wide, and Hamilton returner Craig Yeast barely ran out it of the end zone to avoid the single.
Rookie Julian Radlein scored twice and Troy Davis once for the Ticats, while Chris Szarka, Jamal Richardson and Sedric Shaw had touchdowns for Saskatchewan (7-6). The Roughriders have not won in Hamilton in five years.
Down 24-16 with 2:51 to play, Ticats pivot Danny McManus methodically led his team up the field, using a pair of crucial third-and-one lunges by Radlein to keep the drive alive. Davis finished the series by scrambling four yards for the touchdown.
McManus connected with Ibrahim Tounakara for the two-point convert to tie the game 24-24 with 58 seconds left on the clock.
On the Roughriders final possession, quarterback Nealon Greene threw a long out to Matt Dominguez, who pulled in the reception under double coverage to get his squad in field-goal range.
However, the up-and-down manner of this contest didn't allow for such an easy ending.
Instead of going for the field goal right away, Greene decided hand off to Shaw in hopes of collecting a few more yards. Perhaps not the right decision with Ticats lineman Tim Cheatwood lurking.
As the Riders' top rusher tried to gain ground, Cheatwood yanked the ball out of his hands. That led to a series of bobbles before the Ticats recovered the fumble for one more chance at the win.
McManus could only get the Ticats close enough for a 57-yard field goal attempt, too far for Osbaldiston. Instead, Hamilton decided to bank their hopes in overtime.
And in the end, it was the right choice.
Saskatchewan coach Danny Barrett wasn't happy with the way the game evolved, especially with his team's four turnovers.
"You turn the football over and you give a team that is fighting and scratching and clawing an opportunity to stay in it," said Barrett. "And they did. And they capitalized more than anything else. They didn't waste the opportunity."
Hamilton's first win was no easy feat against one of the league's top teams.
Down 17-10 after two quarters, the third quarter seemed to typify the Ticats season so far.
First there was confusion on a play call between Archie Amerson and McManus that led to an interception in the end zone. Then there was another missed field goal.
Osbaldiston was ready to kick at 38 yards, but took a time-count violation and lined up again at the 43. That went wide left.
In the fourth, Osbaldiston's luck -- or lack of it -- continued with a missed 44-yard field goal. And after Radlein scored his second major of the game, Hamilton bobbled the snap and failed on the convert.
Up 17-16 with less than five minutes to play, Hamilton's defence came up with a big stop, forcing the Roughriders to punt.
Yeast, a rookie, took a running start to pick up the kick, but the ball took an unforgiving bounce off the outside of his shoulder and Saskatchewan's Terrence Melton recovered deep in the Ticats' zone.
Shaw scored on the very next play to take a 24-16 lead.
It didn't look good for the Ticats at that point, but McManus and his troops chipped away for a much-needed win.
Osbaldiston opened the scoring with a 48-yard field goal in the first quarter.
The Ticats could have taken at least a 6-0 lead in the opening frame, but Osbaldiston's field-goal attempt hit the upright and bounced out.
Saskatchewan answered with a 12-play, 85-yard drive culminating in a one-yard touchdown run by Szarka.
Hamilton took a 10-7 lead to open the second quarter with a nine-play, 88-yard drive ending in a third-and-one touchdown run by Radlein, another rookie. The highlight of that drive was 44-yard catch by Amerson that brought the Tabbies to the six-yard line.
The Ticats defence was holding strong until Greene picked apart the zone coverage and found a wide-open Richardson for a 14-10 lead.
McCallum connected on a 42-yard field goal and the Roughriders led 17-10 at the end of the first half.
with files from Canadian Press
