What a difference a fortnight makes. After the Carolina RailHawks’ seven league-match winless skid was capped by two ignominious losses at Indy Eleven and then Minnesota United two weeks ago by a combined score of 9-2, the club retooled the roster, reshaped their formation and redirected their fortunes.

First was a 4-1 home win last weekend against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Then the RailHawks set an attendance record Tuesday night against West Ham United, a friendly that also saw new RailHawks loanee Omar Bravo, the Chivas de Guadalajara and Mexico international star, introduced to the crowd at halftime and make a second-half cameo.

The RailHawks capped their wonderful week tonight with a hot and heated 1-0 road victory at the Fort Lauderdale Strikers Saturday night. Carolina put just one shot on frame for the game, but they made it count in the 23rd minute. A nifty buildup by the RailHawks saw Tiyi Shipalane play a ball to recent acquisition Matt Fondy in the area, who in turn flicked it off to striker Brian Shriver. Momentarily surprised by his space and time, Shriver recovered to deposit a short shot and give the ‘Hawks a 1-0 lead.

It was left to the RailHawks’ defenders to preserve the advantage, which saw some superb play by Kareem Moses and Simon Mensing in the back, along with four saves by goalkeeper Brian Sylvestre. Any hope the Strikers had to eke out an equalizer evaporated when Ramón Nuñez was sent off early in second-half added time after earning his second booking.

The Strikers (4-4-6, 16 pts.) outshot Carolina 14-4, but the RailHawks held the majority of possession against a fatigued Fort Lauderdale squad that was playing its third match this week, the preceding two on the road. Moreover, the Strikers were playing without regulars PC and Maicon Santos, who hope to be fit for Fort Lauderdale’s U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals match next Wednesday at the Chicago Fire.

Meanwhile, the RailHawks (6-2-5, 20 pts.) snag their third road victory this year and creep into a tie for fifth position in the overall NASL standings. Carolina returns to WakeMed Soccer Park next Friday, June 22 to host the monied Miami FC, when RailHawks supporters also hope to see Bravo’s NASL debut.

BOX SCORE

LINEUPS

CAR: Sylvestre, Moses, Mensing, Marcelin, Beckie, Watson, Albadawi, Shipalane (Ceballos, 71’), da Luz, Shriver, Fondy (Hassan, 79’)

FTL: Restrepo, Attakora, Agbossoumonde, James, Corrales, Alexandre (Gabriel, 46’), Arguez (Gonzalez, 66’), Felipe, Paulo Junior, Nuñez, Angulo

GOALS

CAR: Shriver, 23’ (Fondy)

FTL: ---

CAUTIONS

CAR: Fondy, 58’

FTL: Nuñez, 43’; Corrales, 52’; James, 73’

EJECTIONS

CAR: ---

FTL: Nuñez, 90 + 1’