It’s not often that I find myself not at WakeMed Soccer Park for a RailHawks home game but I’m on vacation this week with the family.  We’ve got internet access here in the hotel and the tiki bar sitting alongside the Atlantic Ocean seems like a great place to watch the game.  I’ll be live blogging the match throughout the even as we watch the stream online.  I have not yet had a chance to use the new streaming service so this will be interesting both from a match standpoint and trying out the new service.

Reload often for the latest updates:

6:38pm – Settling in.  Waitress we need two more boat drinks!  Got a text from a friend in Minnesota saying they would only have 4 subs on the bench tonight.  Hope the RailHawks spread the field and wear down the Stars.

6:42pm – Would be watching on my new iPad but the stream apparently requires Flash.   Really need Adobe and Apple to resolve their issues and make that happen.  Would be awesome to watch the RailHawks on my latest gadget.

6:53pm – Looks like we’ve got a strong 2.5Mbps internet connection here at the hotel, maybe I’ll try to watch both the RailHawks match and the Tampa Bay Rowdies v. Crystal Palace Baltimore match simultaneously.

6:55pm – no video stream on RailHawks or Baltimore’s sites yet.  You think they could get a test pattern up a few minutes before game time to give fans some confidence they could see the game stream.

6:58pm – feeds up now on both RailHawks and Minnesota’s sites.  It wasn’t 100% obvious to me how to launch the game on the RailHawks site while the Stars sent a direct link out on their twitter feed making it easy for me.  RailHawks feed has a huge ass USSF D2 Pro League bug in the top right corner.  It’s obnoxious, takes up way too much real estate.  On the Minnesota feed, they have a very small NSC Minn. logo, much better.

7:01pm – Stop the presses, Rennie starting exactly the same lineup as last week.  Martin says it may be the first time ever.

7:03pm – RailHawks look sharp in orange on orange with the white stripe down the side.  I really like these kits after being skeptical when I heard Lanzera would be our equipment sponsor.  Now watching on the Minnesota site because of the obnoxious logo on the RailHawks’ stream.

7:07pm – Danielle belts out the anthem.  Time to get it started. BTW, another plus on the Minnesota site is the embedded video size is twice the size of the one on the RailHawks’ site if you want to watch it without going full screen.

7:09pm – The east and south stands are dreadfully empty.  A second beautiful night in Cary for the RailHawks this season and the second light turnout.  I don’t like that at all.

7:13pm – no clock or scoreboard on screen on the feed…that’s a huge step backwards from last season in my opinion.

7:16pm – RailHawks must have lost the toss since they are attacking the Depot in the first half.  As a supporter, I much prefer when they attack the south end during the 2nd half.

7:20pm – Minnesota is giving Carolina fits at the back at the moment.  Need to pull it together boys!

7:21pm – Still no video feed for Tampa Bay vs. Baltimore.  Poor Rowdies fans can’t see the debut of their new team. I’d be freakin’ pissed.

7:25pm - game has evened up now, a couple of good chances for Carolina, best was a great throughball by Gardner for Etienne but he shot wide under pressure.

7:30pm – a couple of way too casual defensive plays in our box and the Stars just barely miss making us pay for our errors.  The defense is not looking as sharp tonight as last week.

7:37pm – Elenio with a great cross and Etienne heads just over.  Cory has been a great addition on the right with the departure of Kremalmeyer.

7:40pm – RailHawks need to work on their ambient mics for the internet feed.  I cannot hear the Depot at all and I’m confident they are in full voice. WMSP sounds like a library on the feed.  A well-placed mic would fix that.

7:45pm – Sloppy defense from Lowery gives up a corner then further sloppy defending of the corner costs Carolina a goal.  0-1 to Minnesota in the 37th minute.

7:49pm – Dean says that RailHawks are 0-29-5 when scored upon first.  Ouch! Time to break that streak!

7:51pm – Geez, I’m going to need another pitcher for the second half if we are going to defend like this.  Ukah just misses wide on a completely unmarked header.  Dreadful defending.

7:57pm - Halftime.  Carolina lucky not to be down by more than 1 the way our defense has “played” that half.   Time to feed the baby and refresh the rum drinks.  Back in 15 mins.

8:05pm - Brian Wellman with a refreshingly honest assessment of our performance in the first half. “This game could use a dose of Gregory Richardson” he said.  I agree.

8:08pm – Looking at the fan shots around the stadium, I’m guessing attendance is no more than 2000 again this week.  Not sure if I’m more disappointed by that or the score.

8:11pm – Kabwe off for Richardson, good sub based on Jo’s first half where he struggled. Paladini needs to step up too.

8:15pm - Really like how Charlie Slagle complements Linke as the color commentator.

8:18pm – Our defending hasn’t gotten any better.  Minnesota just misses another good chance.  Credit to them for continuing to attack with a 1-0 lead on the road.

8:20pm – Elenio and Gardner are the only two that are impressing me right now.

8:28pm – Gilkerson having a very tough game after getting hit hard early on, but Kupono Low is not available to sub for him at left back.  Does Rennie have another LB?

8:34pm – Paladini hammers one wide.  Remember last season when Daniel couldn’t find a goal early on?  Feels like he’s starting like that again this year.

8:37pm – Minnesota squanders a 3 v 2 breakaway.  Dodged a bullet there!

8:39pm - Watson on for Elenio.  Don’t agree with that removal Martin.  Cory has been our 2nd best player behind Gardner tonight.  Paladini absolutely squanders a free kick from 19 yards.

8:44pm - Paladini comes off for Budnyy.  Strange substitution normally, but Daniel has been inefficient, especially from corners.

8:47pm – looks like most of the Depot has moved behind the North goal to cheer on the Hawks

8:50pm – About 8 mins of regulation left.  Minnesota defending well, Carolina seems to be losing our shape in desperation.  Our corner and free kicks MUST improve.  3 straight corners wasted.

8:53pm – Clock ticking away and Carolina’s chances are getting much better. Commentators hyping the the Mexican U23s match — I’m more concerned with the 3 points we’re in the process of throwing away.

8:55pm – Bobo with our best chance of the Matt at the near post, but saved well by Warren.

8:58pm – 4 minutes of stoppage. Watson hits hard from long range but Warren parries and then covers the rebound.

9:01pm – Last gasp effort for Carolina. Schulte fouls in the box trying to win the header.

9:03pm – Fulltime.  Carolina loses 0-1.  Full credit to Minnesota and Manny Lagos on a well played and coached match on the road but  Carolina has to be troubled by this lackluster performance.  It’s early days yet, but those are 3 points we’ll look back on as squandered.

9:05pm – Looking ahead, we have 1 home league match between now and June 19th.  Not a good way to start a long roadtrip.

9:06pm – Just ordered a nightcap, something stiff from the bar to help me forget about that game.  If I had to miss one in person, glad it was that one.