THE CANADIAN PRESS

CALGARY - Thousands of Saskatchewan Roughriders fans filed silently from Calgary's McMahon Stadium on Sunday night after watching in shock as their team lost the Grey Cup at the very last second.

The fans like to think of themselves as their team's 13th man. The irony of the 28-27 loss to the Montreal Alouettes was that an actual 13th man on the field helped cost them the victory.

"It's a difficult pill to swallow," said Rider fan Bryce Kovatch, who along with other Rider fans turned the stadium into a sea of green during the game.

"You're far ahead, you think you have it in the bag. But it's never over 'till it's over."

Montreal's Damon Duval missed his first try at a game-winning field goal with no time left but was given another chance when the Roughriders were penalized for having too many men - 13 instead of 12 - on the field.

Given another chance, Duval made the kick to give Montreal the win.

A small number of Montreal fans screamed with joy and disbelief as they watched the ball split the uprights.

"We did it," gasped Greg Christiee seconds after the win, jumping into his friend's arms and then holding a banner high above his head.

He said he'd flown from Montreal for the game and had almost given up hope as the team floundered in the beginning.

"I never thought that was going to happen. I feel like a million dollars."

The Alouettes announced plans for a victory parade Wednesday but after the game the party in downtown Montreal was much quieter. Few people were on the streets, likely forced indoors by heavy rain, and the scene was in sharp contrast to that back in 2002 when the Als last won the Grey Cup.

In Calgary, McMahon Stadium was awash in green as fans filtered in for the game Sunday afternoon. Roughriders fans vastly outnumbered small but determined pockets of Alouettes supporters.

Many Saskatchewan fans sported watermelon helmets or the occasional watermelon bra as lines of fans slapped high fives and hugs with strangers and stopped to compare shades of green or admire white-and-green body paint.

Three men from Saskatoon called the loss heartbreaking.

"We came all this way for a great game, but they couldn't pull it off," said Kiley Dyck.

"They let it slip away."

Several Riders fans carried signs or wore clothing pointing to the "13th man."

"Football in Saskatchewan is more than just football. It's not about a player, it's not about the coach, it's not about the team - it's about Saskatchewan," said Ryan Todd, hoisting a small, homemade Grey Cup over his head.

Some Alouettes fan attempted to start their own songs and cheers, getting joking jeers from passing Rider fans.

"We're rare," said Ronald Monger, who had found a small group of fellow Als fans outside the stadium before the game.

"We're overwhelmed about 10,000 to two."

The Riders took an early lead in the game and by halftime were ahead 17-3. Fans were ecstatic.

"No more butterflies now, it's all good," said Jerrod Lacelle, who had come from Saskatoon.

They seemed hardly able to believe that things had turned around so quickly just two quarters later.

"It hurts. It sucks. But it was still worth coming to," said Doug Conn of Regina.

He added that the game was one of the better he's ever seen and the team wouldn't stay down for long.

"The Rider Nation is hurting tonight, but we'll be there next year."