The Carolina RailHawks held advantages in every notable statistical category, and got season-best performances out of Matt Watson and Simon Mensing, but a second-half penalty against Carolina defender Connor Tobin segued into a FC Edmonton goal and a 1-0 defeat for the floundering RailHawks.

If ever the RailHawks needed three road points, it was Sunday afternoon in cold and rainy Alberta, Canada. With only three games left in the NASL spring season, three teams, including Carolina, began the day atop the league table, with two others, including FC Edmonton, within two points of pouncing on the NASL lead.

The only time the Carolina RailHawks have defeated FC Edmonton on synthetic Canadian turf was June 10, 2011, and Carolina has never tasted victory at Clarke Stadium, FC Edmonton’s home ground since 2012.

Carolina controled the majority of possession in an uneventful first half Sunday. But both sides appeared wary of committing an error on the slick Clarke Stadium surface. The RailHawks managed two shots in the box, but neither bothered Eddies’ goalkeeper Matt VanOekel. Meanwhile, a couple of attempts by Edmonton, including one in the final moments of the half, were easily parried away by RailHawks keeper Brian Sylvestre, given the start over Akira Fitzgerald.

After intermission, the RailHawks found eight second-half shot attempts, six of them on frame. But the only score came from the FC Edmonton, when Tobin was whistled for taking down Albert Watson during an Eddies’ corner kick in the 78th minute. Sylvestre guessed wrong on the ensuing PK, and forward Daryl Fordyce calmly converted the game-winning goal, his first of the year.

Carolina’s last gasp came in 90th minute, when a overhead cross from Aly Hassan found the leaping head of Jonathan Orlando, who came on in the 84th minute for his RailHawks debut. But Orlando couldn’t tie a ribbon on his header, which flew just wide right of goal.

After winning their first four matches this season, the RailHawks (4-1-3, 13 pts.) are now winless in their last four, totaling only one goal over this latest span. Meanwhile, FC Edmonton (4-2-2, 14 pts.) grabs the NASL lead, pending the outcome of the New York Cosmos match versus the Tampa Bay Rowdies this evening.

The RailHawks enjoy their bye week before returning to WakeMed Soccer Park on Wednesday, June 1 to host the Charlotte Independence in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Carolina then hosts NASL foe Jacksonville Armada on Saturday, June 4.

BOX SCORE

LINEUPS

CAR: Sylvestre, Black, Mensing, Tobin, Moses (Hassan, 90’), Shriver, Perez, Watson (Shipalane, 76’), da Luz, Albadawi, Schuler (Orlando, 84’)

FCE: VanOekel, Edward, Diakite, Watson, Eckersley, Gustavo (Plumhoff, 67’), Ledgerwood (Shome, 69’), Fordyce, Corea (Zebie, 88’), Keegan, Ameobi

GOALS

CAR: ---

FCE: Fordyce, 79’ (PK)

CAUTIONS

CAR: Black, 34’; Tobin 79’

FCE: Ledgerwood, 21’; Ameobi, 33’

EJECTIONS

CAR: ---

FCE: ---