CARY - Two defensive lapses that led to Puerto Rico goals and a complete lack of urgency in the attack spelled a 2-0 victory for the Islanders over the RailHawks before a crowd of 5,158.

"They understood the importance of the game," Carolina coach Scott Schweitzer said. "The flow of the offense just wasn't there. They put the work in. We got hurt on two mistakes we made. One, a defensive lapse with our marking, and the second with the ball we played. It's tough to come back when you give up those goals."

The RailHawks have struggled to make up deficits in their two-season history. They are 0-16-6 all-time when they allow the first goal.

The Islanders (8-5-3) struck in the 16th minute. Forward Josh Hansen found a hole in Carolina's defense, and Petter Villegas played him into the box. The RailHawks were looking for an offside call but didn't get it. One on one with Carolina goalie Chris McClellan, Hansen hammered a shot to the far post.

In the 34th minute, Fabrice Noel picked off a poor backpass by Carolina's Kupono Low and made it 2-0.

The RailHawks never put a serious challenge on the Puerto Rico defense. Their best chance of the first half came in the 17th minute, when Martin Nunez created space at the top of the box and hit a shot from 18 yards, but it went high.

In the second half, Ryan Solle's header from 10 yards went wide, and Santiago Fusilier's shot from 18 yards beat Puerto Rico goalkeeper Bill Gaudette but kissed the post and rolled over the end line.

The win was Puerto Rico's seventh in nine matches, a streak that started with a 3-0 win over the RailHawks on June 12 in Bayam-n, Puerto Rico, and has allowed the Islanders to climb from last place to second in the USL-1 standings.

The RailHawks (4-5-8), meanwhile, fell further out of the playoff picture -- they were in eighth place heading into Friday night -- and are 1-5-4 in their past 10 matches.

Islanders 2, RailHawks 0

Puerto Rico Islanders20--2

Carolina RailHawks00--0

First: 1, Hansen (Villegas) 16th minute; 2, Noel, 34th minute.

Second: None.

Cautions: Puerto Rico--Delgado, 45th minute; Ojeda, 76th minute. Carolina--Dombrowski, 35th minute; Stokes, 58th minute; Solle, 74th minute.

Goalies: Vancouver--Gaudette; Carolina--McClellan.