CARY, N.C. -- Winning begats winning

The more the RailHawks win, the more they want to keep on doing it.

Saturday night, before more than 4,000 at WakeMed Soccer Park, the RailHawks made it difficult on themselves by conceding the evening’s first goal, but they overcame the early deficit and prevailed 3-1 over Tampa Bay for their eighth straight win.

“These guys want to win every time they step on the field and they’re willing to put it whatever they have to get the result, and that showed again tonight,” said RailHawks coach Martin Rennie, whose team improved to 10-1-1 this season and remains comfortably atop the NASL table.

Etienne Barbara, who was held without a point for the only time this season last week at Edmonton, resumed his season-long scoring assault Saturday with a goal and two assists. Matt Watson and Allan Russell provided the other two RailHawks’ tallies. For Watson, it was his second straight game with a goal.

“As long as we’re winning together, everyone gets their little successes,” Watson said. “The last two games, I’ve got two goals and it’s nice. But hopefully everyone gets goals.

Not only was it the RailHawks’ eighth straight win, but it was their third come-from-behind win of the season. Before 2011, the RailHawks had two comeback wins in four years, and both of those came in the second half of 2010. Saturday’s result also extended the RailHawks’ unbeaten streak to 11 matches.

While Tampa Bay deserves credit for taking control of the game early, the RailHawks began the night with a lethargy unseen in 2011.After Warren Ukah’s 18th-minute goal put the RailHawks down 1-0, they snapped out of it.

“Sometimes we start off slacking,” said Barbara, who scored a goal for himself and assisted on the other two. “Since we are first in the table and we have a good advantage on points, it’s normal to feel overconfident. We have to try to eliminate that as soon as possible. Anything can happen in soccer You cannot always score, you cannot always win. If we keep playing like the second half, it’s going to be very difficult to beat us.”

While the RailHawks took control after intermission, they got themselves back in the match before the break.

Watson provided the spark with a 36th-minute wunderstrike. He and Barbara worked a quick give-and-go, and Watson uncorked a vicious, swerving blast from 20 yards that ripped the back of the net.

“Etienne showed me to feet. I played it to him and got it back. I took a touch and just hit it,” said Watson, who’s scored in back-to-back games. “It bent away from the goalkeeper. I think he was expecting me to go across him, but it went near post and he wasn’t there.”

The RailHawks were so sound in the second half that they outshot Tampa 8-5 over the final 45 minutes. None of Tampa’s five shots were on target though, and Brad Knighton made all of his three saves in the first half.

The RailHawks found the go-ahead goal in the 69th minute, courtesy of another magical moment from Barbara. With more space than the NASL’s leading goalscorer should be allowed, Barbara carried the ball into the area and took a shot from 18 yards. It was knocked down, but he gathered the loose ball, carried it into the area and buried it at the far post – his 13th goal in 12 games.

Barbara helped put the game away in added time. He timed his run perfectly and got behind the Tampa defense to receive Brad Knighton’s goal kick.  Barbara carried the ball into the area then laid it off to Allan Russell, who buried his third goal of the season and gave Barbara his seventh assist of the year.

That goal was a fitting end to the night and it embodied the emphasis on team that Rennie, Watson and Barbara  each spoke about in their postmatch comments. The play started in the back, Barbara broke in, and rather than go for his second goal of the night, he made the smart pass, which allowed Russell to easily tap the ball in.

“We remind them always the things that make us a good team are staying positive with each other, building each other up, getting the best out of each other,” said RailHawks coach Martin Rennie. “When you turn on each other, it kills your whole team. And these guys don’t do that. They keep working harder and harder until they get what they want. And they keep getting their rewards. It’s exciting and well deserved.”

Carolina RailHawks 3, FC Tampa Bay 1

LINEUPS
CAR: GK Brad Knighton, D Brad Rusin (C), D Kupono Low, D John Krause, M Floyd Franks, M Matt Watson, M Chris Nurse, M Jonny Steele, F Pablo Campos (Allan Russell, 81st), F Etienne Barbara, F Nick Zimmerman
TB: GK Jeff Attinella, D Frankie Sanfilippo, D David Hayes, D Andres Arango, D Kwame Watson-Siriboe, M Keith Savage, M Tsuyoshi Yoshitake, M Mozzi Gyorio, M Pascal Millien (Matt Clare 81st), F Warren Ukah (Aaron King, 73rd), F Mike Ambersley

SCORING SUMMARY
TB: Warren Ukah (18th)
CAR: Matt Watson (Etienne Barbara) (36th)
CAR: Etienne Barbara (69th)
CAR: Allan Russell (Etienne Barbara) (90+)

CAUTIONS
CAR: Kupono Low (84th)
TB: Andres Arango (48th); Kwame Watson-Siriboe (78th)

SHOTS
CAR: 15
TB: 13

FOULS
CAR: 6
TB: 7

Attendance: 4,041