REGINA — It’s been three weeks to the day since Ed Gainey set a franchise record with five turnovers in one game. And on Sunday afternoon, in the annual Labour Day Classic, the Riders’ veteran defensive back was at it again.

Gainey’s fifth and sixth interceptions of the season not only extended his lead over the rest of the CFL but also helped the Saskatchewan Roughriders earn their third straight victory, 38-24 over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The two picks set up a Riders touchdown and took one away from the Bombers, providing the difference in the first game of a crucial mid-season home-and-home.

“He played well,” Head Coach and General Manager Chris Jones told Riderville.com after the game. “He made another game-changing play there early to give us momentum and then, when we needed it down the stretch there — they’re throwing the ball in the end zone to the guy that’s been hot for them — he went up and made a football play.

“Ed Gainey’s a good football player.”

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A packed house of 33,350 took in the Riders’ fifth win of the season at raucous new Mosaic Stadium. And like the fans spelled out before the game via flip cards — ‘new house, same home’ — on a sunny, picturesque afternoon in the Saskatchewan capital, the Riders’ home advantage is still very much pronounced.

At the end of the day, the Riders moved into fourth in the West with an impressive plus-62 point differential (second in the division), a 4-1 record at home (also second in the division) and a 3-3 record inside the division (yet again, second in the highly-competitive West Division).

However, things could have been a little easier.

After the two rivals foes swapped field goals on their opening drives, the Riders scored 21 unanswered points in the first quarter thanks to Gainey’s first interception, a long Nic Demski punt return and a 53-yard touchdown pass to Naaman Roosevelt. It looked like the game might be a whitewash from the outset.

But despite their 21-point lead going into the fourth quarter, the Riders still managed to make things uncomfortable. Andrew Harris‘ 10-yard touchdown grab made it a 14-point game, then, with 2:23 left in the game, Matt Nichols had the Bombers within striking distance again, before his pass intended for Clarence Denmark was intercepted near the goal line by Gainey.

The Riders’ offence rolled up 458 yards, turned the ball over only once and held a four-minute edge in the time of possession. Yet for Jones, after watching his defence give up 400 yards, Monday will be an early morning of watching film.

Through the Lens: Images from the Labour Day Classic

“When you give up 407 yards of offence, it makes me want to go up and watch the film now,” Jones said afterwards. “I’m not going to allow myself to — I’m going to take a couple of hours here and go out with the staff and eat dinner and come back early in the morning.

“That needs to be 307. If that number was 307 then it would be a little easier to sleep tonight.”

Jones and his club have only six more sleeps between the Riders and Bombers meet again on Saturday in the annual Banjo Bowl at Winnipeg’s Investors Group Field.

Marshall, Demski sidelined

The Riders were without two key spark-plugs through the second half of Sunday’s game as Nic Demski and Cameron Marshall were both sidelined by injury. Neither one is likely to suit up in Saturday’s Banjo Bowl.

“One of them’s got a knee, one of them’s got an ankle,” updated Jones. “I would say they’re both doubtful for next week.”

Marshall, originally a Winnipeg Blue Bomber before venturing south of the border, was enjoying a standout season in his return to the CFL, recording 490 rushing yards and 278 receiving yards in nine contests, including 56 yards and a touchdown on only six carries on Sunday.

National running back Kienan LaFrance had 23 yards on eight carries in his place and is likely to get the assignment in Week 12.

Cameron Marshall was forced to leave the game after being injured in the first half (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

Demski, meanwhile, served as the Riders’ primary return man and was replaced in the second quarter by Duron Carter. Carter is an offensive dynamo for the Riders but has also played defence and special teams this season.

Jones says Carter will continue to be used in the return game despite a close call on a fumble that got overturned — as well as a couple of incomplete deep balls.

“He’s got to hang onto the football,” said Jones. “He’s got to realize when he’s the punt returner what kind of level of conditioning that takes — he was a little short on two go balls today and [quarterback Kevin Glenn] overthrew him just a hair.

“This week he needs to make sure he’s getting his conditioning to where he needs to be.”

– With files from Riderville.com