Kendial Lawrence was 48 seconds away from having his name etched into Labour Day Classic history.

His name to be forever mentioned in the same breath as Ken Clark, Joe Paopao to Ray Elgaard, and Kerry Joseph as Riders who contributed to the most exciting finishes in the history of the annual game between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

But Lawrence's 85-yard punt return for the game-tying touchdown with less than a minute to play on Sunday was celebrated for less than 60 seconds.

Man it's heartbreaking. Like it didn't even happen - Kendial Lawrence

Tyler Crapigna sucked the life out of the stadium when he missed the extra point attempt.

Then a questionable pass interference flag on Riders' defensive back Justin Cox, which negated his interception and set up the Bombers for the game-winning field goal.

That was loss number nine for the Riders who have played only 10 games. The latest loss was the deepest cut of all.

Kendial Lawrence, normally easy to spot in the Riders' locker room after a game, was no where to be found Sunday. He couldn't deal with the media until the Riders returned to practice Tuesday. His bittersweet moment still as fresh in his mind.

"Man it's heartbreaking, like it didn't even happen," Lawrence said.

Unfortunate for Lawrence, who even punctuated his long touchdown return with a back flip, only to be kicked in the butt seconds later.

"That's a pretty tough situation for us, that's a bad feeling, no one wants to feel like that. I feel like we will pick our stuff up and make sure we don't feel like that again."

Even Darian Durant who is usually pretty cool dealing with reporters after a loss couldn't find the words. The look on his face, similar to the one he had following the 2009 Grey Cup.

He needed a day or two to collect himself, but by Tuesday he was over it and ready to turn the page.

"It hurts to lose every game first and foremost, but to fight back the way we did especially of where we are in the standings, it being Labour Day, it being a game that we really, really needed and for it to end like that with a questionable call in my opinion, you know it just sucks."

The Riders' head coach is only hoping for consistency from CFL officiating.

Head Coach Chris Jones who couldn't challenge the play because he had already used up his supply of challenge flags, stopped short of criticizing the call on the field. Only because he's also out of money to pay the fines.

"They've already fined us $65,000 for doing the same thing everybody else in the league does, so I don't want to get fined $25,000 for them viewing me as saying or even commenting on anything that has to with the officiating." Jones said on Sunday,

Today, he was more of the attitude that inconsistent officiating is just something the team will have to live with.

"You just teach [the players] what the rule is and then you're hoping you get the consistency that we talk about as a league."

Commissioner no show

If you were looking forward to some answers from the CFL commisoner at the Riders' Plaza of Honour Dinner, he won't be there. (THE CANADIAN PRESS) It's obvious the Riders' organization has ruffled some serious feathers in the league office.

The planned appearance of the CFL Commissioner at the Riders' Plaza of Honour dinner later this month has been cancelled. It was a mutual decision between the Riders and Jeffrey Orridge that he not be there.

That might be a wise move given the raw emotions in Rider Nation these days — players, coaches and fans.

Though the Q and A between fans and the commissioner would have been entertaining.