Winners of a seven straight games, the NASL-leading Carolina RailHawks look to extend their nine-point lead at the top of the table on Saturday at WakeMed Soccer Park against FC Tampa Bay. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

The RailHawks (9-1-1) are in the midst of their best start to a season in the club’s five-year history. In addition to their club-record seven-match winning streak, they are also unbeaten in their last 10 (9-1-0), another club record. They have picked up 28 of a possible 33 points in the table this season

Carolina has shot out of the gate and to the top of the table thanks to the NASL’s most prolific attack and most stingy defense.

The RailHawks lead the league in goals (23, seven more than anyone else) and have not been shut out in 2011. They have scored two or more goals in eight of 11 matches this year. Strikeforce Etienne Barbara and Pablo Campos have scored 16 of the RailHawks’ 23 goals and they have six of the team’s 14 assists. Forwards Nick Zimmerman and Allan Russell have two goals apiece, as well.

Defensively, the RailHawks’ nine goals allowed are fewest in the league, and their 0.82 goals against average is not only best in the league, it’s the only one in the NASL below 1.00. Their plus-14 goal differential is by far tops in the league (Minnesota, Edmonton and Ft. Lauderdale are second at plus-2). Carolina has shutouts in three of its last four games and has allowed more than one goal in a game twice this season.

Tampa Bay (3-4-4) comes to the Triangle in sixth place in the NASL table. Over their last five matches, they are 2-1-2, including a 3-2 win over Atlanta last weekend. FCTB averages 1.00 goals per game and has a goal differential of minus-4. They have scored seven of their 11 goals this season in their last five matches. Forward Mike Ambersley ranks second in the league with five goals, while goalkeeper Jeff Attinella leads the league with 52 saves.

LAST TIME OUT

The RailHawks earned their seventh straight win and remained undefeated on the road in 2011 with a 1-0 win at Edmonton on June 10.

Matt Watson scored the game’s only goal in the 53rd minute. He played the ball forward toward Etienne Barbara. After Barbara shielded his defender off the ball, Watson regained possession, split the defense and buried it past Edmonton goalkeeper Lance Parker to put the RailHawks on top 1-0.

It was his first goal since last Sept. 25, and the sixth of his RailHawks’ career.

The RailHawks outshot Edmonton 15-8, and improved to 4-1-0 on the road this season.

Last weekend’s match at Edmonton also marked the first time all season that Coach Martin Rennie did not use any of his three available substitutes in a match. The full starting XI played the full 90 minutes.

SERIES HISTORY

Saturday’s match will be the third of four meetings between the RailHawks and Tampa Bay this season. They’ll close out the season series on Sept. 3 at WakeMed Soccer Park. The RailHawks are 2-0-0 against FCTB in 2011 and 3-0-1 all time.

In their first match this season, on May 7 in St. Petersburg, Fla., Etienne Barbara scored two goals and had one assist in the RailHawks’ 3-1 win. Barbara opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, but Tampa’s Pascal Millien equalized three minutes later. Barbara set up the go-ahead goal in the 52nd minute, feeding Brian Farber for a 2-1 lead. Barbara put the game away with an insurance goal in the 76th minute.

In their second meeting, on June 4 at Al Lang Stadium, Barbara and Nick Zimmerman scored goals 90 seconds apart in the second half for a 2-0 cushion. Barbara converted a penalty kick in the 63rd minute and Zimmerman headed in what proved to be the game winner on a pinpoint cross from Jonny Steele in the 65th. Tampa’s Mike Ambersley drew a goal back in the 86th minute, but the RailHawks prevailed 2-1.

The RailHawks have won three straight in the series with Tampa Bay, however, FCTB has defeated the RailHawks at WakeMed Soccer Park. In their first-ever meeting, Tampa clipped the RailHawks 2-1 on May 14, 2010.

DEPTH IN DEFENSE

From April 16 through May 21, a span of six matches, Kupono Low, John Krause, Brad Rusin and Devon McKenney played 536 of a possible 540 minutes across the backline.

McKenney suffered an ankle injury on May 21 and has missed the last three matches, and Rusin did not make the trip to Edmonton due to an MCL sprain.

Despite the disruption to the rearguard, the RailHawks have remained a difficult nut to crack. They have shutouts in three of their last four matches and have not allowed a goal against the run of play in 366 minutes. The only goal they did allow was an 86th-minute penalty kick at Tampa Bay on June 4.

Last week against Edmonton, Cory Miller filled in at centerback and held down the fort for 90 minutes, his first action since the season opener on April 9. And Cory Elenio, making his second start of the season, slid in at right back and played 90 minutes for the first time in 2011. With two new faces, the RailHawks allowed Edmonton only eight shots, and Brad Knighton made four saves to keep the clean sheet. 

NASL LEADERS

Not only are the RailHawks at the top of the NASL table, several players are among the league leaders in a handful of statistical categories.

Forward Etienne Barbara leads the league with 12 goals, five assists and 29 points.

Forward Pablo Campos is tied with three other players for second in the league with five goals.

Midfielders Floyd Franks and Jonny Steele are tied with three others for second in the league with three assists.

Goalkeeper Brad Knighton is tied for the league lead in shutouts (four), is second in both saves (49) and goals against average (0.82).

PLAYER NOTES

• Midfielder Matt Watson scored his first goal of the season in the RailHakwk’s 1-0 win at Edmonton on June 10.
• Forward Etienne Barbara’s point-scoring streak ended at 10 matches after he was kept off the scoresheet in Edmonton. He had previously recorded a goal or an assist in each of the RailHawks’ first 10 matches.
• Defender Cory Miller made his first start in Edmonton since the season opener on April 9. He played the full 90 minutes.
• Cory Elenio made his first start since April 30, and played all 90 minutes at right back to help the RailHawks shut out Edmonton.
• Goalkeeper Brad Knighton had four saves against Edmonton and picked up his fourth shutout of the season and third in the last four games. 

2011 STAT LEADERS

Appearances: Floyd Franks, Kupono Low, Etienne Barbara, John Krause, Nick Zimmerman, Brad Knighton (11)
Starts: Floyd Franks, Kupono Low, John Krause, Nick Zimmerman, Brad Knighton (10)
Minutes:Floyd Franks, Kupono Low, John Krause, Brad Knighton (990)
Goals: Etienne Barbara (12)
Assists:Etienne Barbara (5)
Shots: Etienne Barbara (33)
Yellow cards:Floyd Franks, Kupono Low, John Krause (4)
Red cards:Pablo Campos, Jonny Steele (1)
Saves: Brad Knighton (49)

NASL TABLE

NASL SCHEDULE – WEEK 11

Wednesday, June 15

Edmonton 3, Puerto Rico 0
Foote Field, Edmonton, Alb.

Saturday, June 18

Ft. Lauderdale vs Montreal, 2:30 p.m.
Stade Saputo, Montreal, Que.

Tampa Bay vs Carolina, 7 p.m.
WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, N.C.

Edmonton vs Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.
National Sports Center, Blaine, Minn.

Sunday, June 19

Atlanta vs Puerto Rico, 6:05 p.m.
Estadio Juan Roman Loubriel, Bayamon, PR

NASL RESULTS – WEEK 10

Wednesday, June 8

Atlanta 2, Montreal 1
Atlanta Silverbacks Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.

Friday, June 10

Carolina 1, Edmonton 0
Foote Field, Edmonton, Alb. 

Saturday June 11

Ft. Lauderdale  3 Minnesota 0
Lockhart Stadium, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 

Sunday June 12

Tampa Bay 3, Atlanta 2
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Puerto Rico 2, Montreal 1
Estadio Juan Roman Loubriel, Bayamon, PR

NEXT UP

After this weekend’s match against Tampa, the RailHawks return to the road, where they’ll play three of their next four. They travel to Atlanta next week to face the Silverbacks before returning to WakeMed Soccer Park to meet Montreal on July 3. After that, they swing through the Midwest to face Minnesota on July 9 and Edmonton on July 13.

2011 NASL STATISTICS