CARY - Pablo Campos' two first-half goals were exactly what the Carolina RailHawks needed to keep its hold on first place in the North American Soccer League standings, but a little help from the team at the bottom of the standings perhaps helped even more.

While the RailHawks (17-4-3) won 2-0 against visiting FC Tampa Bay the last-place Atlanta Silverbacks defeated second-place Puerto Rico Islanders by the same score. That extended Carolina's lead over the Islanders to nine points with four games remaining.

Puerto Rico has just three games left.

Campos' first goal came in the 19th minute off a header from captain Kupono Low's corner kick. Nineteen minutes later, Campos struck again, toeing in a breakaway pass from Brian Farber.

It was eighth time this year that a RailHawks player had scored more than once in a game, and third time for Campos.

Campos has 11 goals this season, which is second in the NASL behind only teammate Etienne Barbara.

Carolina, which set a new club record for wins in a season, will be without Barbara and his league-leading 20 goals for the next game after he was ejected against Tampa.

Barbara took offense to being taken down by Tampa defender Andres Arango and the two got into an argument that ended with Barbara head-butting Arango. Barbara was given a red card, while Arango was given a second yellow card for his role in the fracas and also sent off.

Carolina goalkeeper Brad Knighton had just two saves in his eighth shutout of the season.

Knighton was playing behind two recent additions to the back line in Tyler Lassiter and Gareth Evans. Evans was in his second game after being loaned from the third-division Wilmington Hammerheads, where he was named to the all-league team. Lassiter, an N.C. State and Wake Forest-Rolesville High gradaute, is being loaned to the team by the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer.