The Carolina RailHawks migrated to Florida Wednesday for the start of a two-game road trip that began against a Miami FC squad riding a six-game unbeaten run and suffering only one loss over their previous 11 matches.

With both teams sitting high-profile starters, a somnolent slog was broken when a second-half Carolina error gifted Miami the game’s only goal, as the spend-thrifty teal and tangerine netted a 1-0 win over the RailHawks.

Miami was without several of their top playmakers. The prodigious Poku was suspended due to yellow card accumulation. Jamie Chavez was injured, while leading scorer Dario Cvitanich began on the bench. Nevertheless, Carolina abandoned their recent go-to 4-4-2 formation and ran out a conservative five-man back line for the first time this year, even after keeping clean sheets in their two previous matches.

The strategy seemingly succeeded over 80 percent of the game, as neither side appeared inspired or inclined to crack the scoreline. But even the most defensive-oriented formation can’t overcome unexcused errors. Seconds after defensive backstop James Marcelin was subbed off, a calamitous backfield giveaway by Matt Watson in the 77th minute handed an opportunity to Cvitanich, who had entered the game just a minute earlier. Miami’s leading scorer settled and sailed RailHawks goalkeeper Brian Sylvestre from 20 yards out for the game-winner.

Carolina had found their scoring touch since the arrival of Matt Fondy and Omar Bravo, neither of whom started Wednesday evening. But the team was allowing goals in even bigger bunches. Whatever Faustian bargain the RailHawks entered over Labor Day weekend has now seen them score and surrender just one goal each over 270 minutes. Carolina’s self-described 12-game plan has now yielded four points over three matches and seen the RailHawks (8-6-9, 30 pts.) slide to seventh in the overall NASL table.

The RailHawks have a couple of days before they presumably they embark on a new season-ending 9-game plan to cap their Florida swing. Carolina visits the Tampa Bay Rowdies this Saturday, then returns to Cary Sept. 24 to host FC Edmonton.

BOX SCORE

LINEUPS

CAR: Sylvestre, Moses, Daly, Mensing, Tobin, Black (Bravo, 86’), Albadawi, Marcelin (Shriver, 76’), Watson, da Luz, Schuler (Fondy, 64’)

MIA: Vega, Trafford, Martinez (Smith, 72’), Palacios (Campos, 61’), Dennis (Cvitanich, 75’), Freeman, Bernstein, Steele, Lahoud, Farfan, Rennella

GOALS

CAR: ---

MIA: Cvitanich, 77’

CAUTIONS

CAR: Daly, 42’; Moses, 63’; Bravo, 90 + 3’

MIA: Cvitanich, 90 + 3’

EJECTIONS

CAR: ---

MIA: ---

ATTENDANCE: 6,592