Edmonton Eskimos' Steven Jyles (3) dodges a sack from Winnipeg Blue Bombers' Alex Hall (96) during the first half of their CFL game in Winnipeg on Thursday, July 26, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
July 26, 2012 - 11:57 PM
WINNIPEG - The Winnipeg Blue Bombers took advantage of a raucous home crowd Thursday, scoring their first win of the season with a 23-22 defeat of the Edmonton Eskimos.
The 29,533 Bombers fans screamed and smacked sticks together for a deafening roar as quarterback Steven Jyles struggled to keep the Eskimos' offence moving.
Edmonton helped the cause with some costly penalties late in the fourth quarter that sapped their forward momentum and took them out of field-goal range.
Jyles moved back into range but his fumble on Winnipeg's 28-yard line with seconds remaining sealed the deal.
It was a complete turnaround from their last meeting when the Eskimos pummelled the Bombers 42-10.
The Bombers got a big lift on the final play of the first half when quarterback Alex Brink found Chris Matthews on a jump ball in the endzone from 40 yards out.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012