CARY -- RailHawks strikers Etienne Barbara and Pablo Campos each broke out of their individual slumps to propel Carolina past FC Edmonton, 4-1 at WakeMed Soccer Park on Saturday night.
Campos broke out of an eight-game stint without a goal to score two and force a third in an own goal, while Barbara, who scored one, snapped his own three-game slide.
The RailHawks are living good themselves. Carolina moved to 13-2-2 on the year, and a full 12 points clear of the next-best NASL team, the Puerto Rico Islanders.
In the 37th minute, Campos - known more his role as a target man - dribbled around an Edmonton defender, drove down the right flank and buried the one-on-one opportunity.
The play started on a clear from the back line by Cory Miller, who was credited with the assist after Campos won it in the air and made his trek to the goal.
After a chippy first half, in which Carolina led 1-0, a fracas between the two sides broke out in the players' tunnel. The two sides combined for five yellow cards and numerous scuffles.
After a pass from Barbara, Campos tallied his eighth goal of the year in the 68th minute, where he jumped over a charging Edmonton goalkeeper to keep the play alive.
It was Barbara's eighth assist of the season.
Campos tried to find Barbara in the 81st minute. Instead, Edmonton defender Paul Hamilton came sliding in to cut off the pass, only to knock it into the net for an own goal.
Two minutes after Edmonton narrowed the deficit to 3-1 in the 84th minute on a Shaun Saiko goal, Barbara found himself all alone on a breakaway.
Barbara charged right at goalkeeper Rein Baart before blasting a close-range shot into the far, top corner for his 15th goal in 17 games.
"I needed a goal," Barbara said. "It's good to be back."
