CARY, N.C. – After a 10-day layoff and a three-week gap between home matches, the Carolina RailHawks (12-2-2) return to WakeMed Soccer Park on Saturday, when they will face Edmonton (7-4-5) at 7 p.m.

The RailHawks have seen their lead at the top of the NASL table trimmed, but they still remain comfortably ahead of the field. With 37 points, they lead Puerto Rico by nine points (with a game in hand) and Edmonton by 13.

The RailHawks will surely want to use this weekend’s match to get back into the win column and build some momentum for what figures to be a grueling four-week stretch. After their July 30 home date with Atlanta, the RailHawks will travel to Ft. Lauderdale and Puerto Rico before returning home to face Minnesota – all in an 11-day period.

Entering the weekend, the RailHawks are winless in the last two matches. They saw their 10-match winning streak and 13-match unbeaten streak halted in Minnesota on July 9, and four days later, they were unable to make an early 1-0 lead hold up against Edmonton and had to settle for a 1-1 draw.

While the RailHawks have scored just one goal in their last two matches, the attack remains the league’s most prolific. With a league-leading 34 goals and plus-21 goal differential, they average 2.13 goals per game and have been shut out just once all season. They have also scored two goals or more in 11 of 16 matches.

Forward Etienne Barbara’s torrid scoring spree has slowed over the last three matches, but he remains the NASL leader in goals (14), assists (seven) and points (35). Forward Pablo Campos has contributed six goals and one assist, and Nick Zimmerman has added five goals. Midfielder Jonny Steele has six assists, and Floyd Franks four.

Though the RailHawks have had to shuffle their defense in recent weeks because of injuries, suspensions and the transfer of Brad Rusin to Europe, the defense remains a formidable unit. Their 13 goals allowed are fewest in the league, and their 0.813 goals against average is the only one in the NASL below 1.00. They’ve surrendered more than one goal twice in 16 games. Brad Knighton has played all 1,440 minutes of the season in goal, and he leads the league in shutouts (five) and goals against average.

Edmonton returns to WakeMed Soccer Park trying to keep together a decent run of form. Over their last six matches, they are 2-3-1. They saw their five-match unbeaten run snapped last Saturday, when they fell 2-1 at home to Tampa Bay. Edmonton is tied for fourth in the NASL in goals scored (20) and tied for third in goals allowed (18). Saturday’s match is the first of three straight road dates for Edmonton, which will move on to face Tampa Bay next Wednesday and Ft. Lauderdale on July 30. Midfielder Shaun Saiko has five goals and three assists, and forward Kyle Porter has six goals and one assist. While FCE snapped a 256-minute goalles streak against Carolina, Edmonton has yet to crack the Carolina defense from the run of play. Saiko’s 76th-minute goal in their July 13 meeting came from the penalty spot.

LAST TIME OUT

Coming off their first defeat in nearly three months, the RailHawks saw their winless streak reach two matches when they tied Edmonton 1-1 on July 13 at Foote Field.

The RailHawks got off to a superior start thanks to Brian Farber’s second-minute goal, the second-fastest score tallied in club history. Edmonton went down a man in the 22nd minute after John Jonke was sent off for a reckless tackle on Matt Watson. Despite the early one-goal lead and the man-advantage, the RailHawks were able to squeeze off just five more shots after Farber’s goal, and they were never able to find a goal to put Edmonton away.

FCE found the equalizer in the 76th minute from Shaun Saiko’s penalty kick. Two minutes later, the RailHawks were dealt another blow when defender John Krause drew his second yellow card of the evening, and he was sent off.

SERIES HISTORY

Saturday’s match will be the fourth and final regular-season meeting between Edmonton and Carolina this season. The RailHawks are 2-1-0 against Edmonton this season and have outscored them 4-1.

In their last meeting 10 days ago, Edmonton overcame an early 1-0 deficit and playing down a man for more than 60 minutes to draw the RailHawks 1-1 at Foote Field. The RailHawks were outshot 15-6, and goalkeeper Brad Knighton made seven saves.

In their first match at Foote Field, on June 10, the RailHawks earned a 1-0 win thanks to Matt Watson’s 53rd-minute goal. Knighton had four saves and recorded his second shutout of the season against Edmonton.

In their first meeting, on April 20 in Cary, the RailHawks prevailed 2-0. Etienne Barbara punched in a rebound in the 19th minute, and Nick Zimmerman sealed the win with a strike in the 76th. Though both teams took 14 shots, Edmonton did not put any of theirs on target. Knighton wasn’t required to make a save en route to his first shutout of the season.

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 14 goals, seven assists and 35 points.

Forward Pablo Campos is tied for third in the league with six goals, and Nick Zimmerman is tied for fourth with five goals.

Midfielder Jonny Steele is second in the league with six assists, and midfielder Floyd Franks is tied for fourth with four assists, and midfielder Chris Nurse is tied for fifth with three assists.

Goalkeeper Brad Knighton leads the league in shutouts (five) and goals against average (0.8113) and is second in saves (69).

PLAYER NOTES

·         Midfielder Brian Farber returned to the starting lineup in Edmonton for the first time since May 14, and he scored his second goal of the season in the second minute of the RailHawks’ 1-1 tie at Foote Field.

·         After recording point in the first 10 games of the season, Etienne Barbara has been kept off the scoresheet in the three straight games. He was held to a season-low one shot in the RailHawks’ last match. Nevertheless, he still leads the NASL in goals and assists.

·         Forward Nick Zimmerman did not play in Edmonton on July 13, ending his streak of 15 consecutive starts.

·         Midfielder Chris Nurse is once again eligible for selection on Saturday. He sat out the RailHawks’ last match on a red-card suspension.

·         Defender John Krause will be unavailable for selection on Saturday, as he will sit out on a red-card suspension.

·         Goalkeeper Brad Knighton had seven saves against Edmonton on July 13, the fourth time this season he’s recorded at least seven saves in one game. 

2011 STAT LEADERS

Appearances: Floyd Franks, Etienne Barbara, Brad Knighton (16)

Starts: Floyd Franks, Brad Knighton (16)

Minutes:Floyd Franks, Brad Knighton (1,440)

Goals: Etienne Barbara (14)

Assists:Etienne Barbara (7)

Shots: Etienne Barbara (47)

Yellow cards:Kupono Low, John Krause (6)

Red cards:Pablo Campos, Jonny Steele, Chris Nurse, John Krause (1)

Saves: Brad Knighton (69)

NASL TABLE

NASL SCHEDULE – WEEK 16

Wednesday, July 20

Puerto Rico 3, Ft. Lauderdale 1
Estadio Juan Ramon Loubriel, Bayamon, PR

Friday, July 22

Montreal vs Minnesota, 8:30 p.m.
National Sports Center, Blaine, Minn. 

Saturday, July 23

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

Tampa Bay vs Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.
Atlanta Silverbacks Stadium, Atlanta, Ga. 

NASL RESULTS – WEEK 15

Wednesday, July 13

Ft. Lauderdale 1 Montreal 1
Stade Saputo, Montreal, Que.

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

Sunday, July 17

Atlanta 2, Montreal 2
Stade Saputo, Montreal, Que.

Tampa Bay 2, Edmonton 1
Foote Field, Edmonton, Alb.

Puerto Rico 1, Minnesota 0
National Sports Center, Blaine, Minn.

NEXT UP

The RailHawks will remain at home for another week before facing the Atlanta Silverbacks on July 30 at 7 p.m. It will be the third of four meetings between the two teams this season. The RailHawks have won the previous two matches against Atlanta by a combined score of 7-1.