AUSTIN, Texas – The RailHawks went to the Lone Star State
hoping for three points Friday, but they had to settle for one after tying the
Austin Aztex 1-1 at Nelson Field.
The draw pushed the RailHawks’ winless streak to four
matches (0-2-2), but the point earned allows the RailHawks to pull into a
first-place tie with Charleston (24 points). However, the RailHawks’ stay at
the top of the table could be brief. Charleston (6-1-6, 24 points) can regain
sole possession of first place with a win or tie on Saturday in Puerto Rico. Those
two teams met Thursday in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and the Islanders ended the
Battery’s 12-match unbeaten streak with a 1-0 win.
“In some ways, breaks aren’t going our way. But I always
believe that will come around,” said Carolina coach Martin Rennie. “That’s exciting
we’re at the top of the league even thought we haven’t had some of the breaks.”
Though three points were desired – as they always are –
Rennie put a good look on the result. Only two teams have gone to Nelson Field –
with its narrow dimensions and challenging playing surface – and won this year
(Carolina did it on May 24, Charleston on June 5). To earn four points in two
trips to Austin, and one point on the back end of the RailHawks’
five-games-in-11-days stretch, Rennie said he’d take it.
“We’ve managed four points here,” Rennie said. “You
always want to win, but that was a good point. It gives us a break.”
After playing five games in 11 days, the RailHawks won’t
play again until June 27, when they will face the Puerto Rico Islanders next
weekend at WakeMed Soccer Park at 7 p.m.
The RailHawks nearly got on the board in the 4th
minute Friday – a quick goal could have been precisely what the RailHawks
needed – but Gavin Glinton’s shot hit the right post.
When the RailHawks got their next chance, they
capitalized. In the 17th minute, Matt Watson took a ball on the
right flank from Daniel Paladini, raced by the defense and beat Austin
goalkeeper Sam Reynolds from 15 yards out.
With the goal, Watson became the 11th player
to score for the RailHawks this season. And with the assist, Paladini now has
four on the year, one off Kupono Low’s club record for assists in a season.
The RailHawks (7-3-3) were unable to put much pressure on
an Aztex backline that featured three players (Mike Chabala, Erik Ustruck and
David Horst) on loan from Major League Soccer clubs. The RailHawks took eight
shots, but other than Watson’s goal and Glinton’s shot that hit the post, none
caused Reynolds (four saves) much concern.
The RailHawks spent most of the evening playing defense.
They kept their shape well and gave Austin little (10 shots) until Eddie
Johnson solved the backline in the 55th minute. Johnson headed in a
cross from Michael Callahan to even the match at a goal apiece.
“It was a good goal,” Rennie said. “We were well marked
up. They didn’t have too many chances.”
The RailHawks did shore up one troubling trend of late –
defending set plays. After allowing five goals on set pieces during their
previous two outings, the RailHawks gave the Aztex (2-5-5) nothing on their 10
corner kicks or three other free kicks that could have been dangerous.
Both teams had chances to go ahead over the final 30
minutes, but both goalkeepers did their parts to ensure the draw. Austin’s
Reynolds turned away Paladini in the 69th minute and Hamed Diallo in
the 77th. In the 83rd minute, Carolina’s Eric Reed (three
saves) denied Austin’s Kyle Brown on a close-range header.
Already short on defenders with Jack Stewart out with a
broken fibula and Mark Schulte remaining in Cary with a thigh injury, the
RailHawks suffered a scare in the 64th minute when right back Devon
McKenney went down. He was subbed out immediately and Rennie could not offer a
prognosis on McKenney, other than it was a hamstring injury that forced him
out.
CAROLINA 1, AUSTIN 1
LINEUPS
CAR: GK Eric Reed, D Devon McKenney (Caleb Norkus, 65th),
D Jeremy Tolleson, D John Gilkerson, D Brad Rusin, MF Amir Lowery, MF Matt
Watson,MF Daniel Paladini, MF Josh
Gardner, F Gavin Glinton (Hamed Diallo, 76th), F John Cunliffe
(Brian Plotkin, 84th)
AUS: GK Sam Reynolds, D Mike Chabala, D Erik Ustruck, D
David Horst,D Gareth Evans, MF Jeff
Harwell (Ryan Caugherty, 86th), MF Ryan McMahen, MF Mike Callahan,
MF Sullivan Silva, F Eddie Johnson, F Kyle Brown
