A New Streak Begins?

Etienne Barbara went all of one game before scoring again.

Barbara scored goals in each of the RailHawks’ first eight games but was shut out on May 28 against Atlanta. He bagged his 12th goal of the season on Saturday in Tampa, keeping alive his remarkable points scoring streak. Barbara has registered points in all 10 of the RailHawks’ games this season.

His 12 goals lead all levels of professional soccer in the United States, and his five assists and 29 points are also leading the NASL.

Barbara has added about a half dozen club records to his resume this season, and he’s closing in on at least two more. His five assists are tied with Kupono Low’s single-season record from 2008, and Barbara’s eight career assists are two shy of Matt Watson’s 10.

Watson rarity

During added time at the end of the first half, midfielder Matt Watson was whistled for a late foul and shown a yellow card for his transgression. RailHawks getting carded isn’t a rare occurrence (they have 17 yellows and two reds in 2011), but Watson being one of the offenders is.

It was just the second caution he’s seen in 90 matches and more than 6,700 minutes during this three-plus seasons with the club. And he didn’t see yellow for the first time until last August.

Go Jonny Go

Since returning to the starting 11 on May 11 against Ft. Lauderdale, Jonny Steele has played every minute of the RailHawks’ last five matches. During the last four games, he’s recorded three assists, tying him with teammate Floyd Franks and Puerto Rico’s David Foley for second-most in the NASL.

In the 65th minute Saturday, Steele ran down a ball near the endline, turned back toward the goal and lofted a beautifully weighted pass to the back post, where Nick Zimmerman headed home what proved to be the game-winning goal.

Comparing Unbeaten Runs

Saturday’s win extended the RailHawks club record winning streak to six games, and it matched the club record for longest unbeaten streak at nine games.

But this unbeaten run has been far more dominant than what the 2009 squad accomplished.

The RailHawks will look for their seventh straight win and 10th straight match unbeaten on Friday, when they head to Edmonton for the first time.

Leftovers

• Forward Nick Zimmerman scored his second goal of the season Saturday, heading in what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 65th minute.
• Forward Allan Russell made his first start of the season on Saturday – and first start since Sept. 15, 2010 – and logged 56 minutes.
• Midfielder Stephen Glass saw action for the first time since May 14. He was subbed on for Russell in the 56th minute.