The Carolina RailHawks finally got Friday what they’ve been lacking at SAS Soccer Park this season – goals – but they got an increasingly familiar result – a tie.

Carolina scored a season-high two goals against Rochester, but they tied a season-high by allowing two goals, leading to a 2-2 draw – Carolina’s fourth in five USL-1 matches in Cary this season – with the Raging Rhinos (4-3-5, 17 points)

The familiar result led to a familiar refrain.

“It’s not a loss, but I think we could’ve gotten a win out of this,” said Carolina defender Frankie Sanfilippo.

“It could’ve been worse,” said forward Connally Edozien, who scored both RailHawks’ goals.

“We’re not happy with this at all,” said forward Anthony Maher, who assisted on Edozien’s second goal.

Like most of their home matches this season, Carolina (3-2-5, 14 points) was the aggressor and had a half dozen decent looks on net. In an 11-minute stretch midway through the second half, the RailHawks had three bonafide chances, but two scooted just wide of the frame and the other was saved by Rhinos goalkeeper Chase Harrison.

While opportunities were fleeting late, Edozien got things started in the 11th minute when he headed in a free kick from Kupono Low.

“[Matthew] Delicâte came on to pick me up, but he’s a forward,” Edozien said. “Forwards are notorious for defending horribly, so I was just hoping Kupono noticed. He whipped it in and I put my head on it.”

Rochester nearly got the equalizer in the 35th minute when Aaron Lines’ shot hit the post and Mike Ambersley’s point-blank follow-up was saved by Carolina keeper Chris McClellan.

After being thwarted from close range, Ambersley beat McClellan from 30 yards out on a strike that brought the match even 1-1 in the 37th minute.

A minute later, Edozien answered for the RailHawks. The Carolina forward made an overlapping run, shed his defender and Maher laid it off for him to finish masterfully.

“There was a little gap between the midfield and their back four. Joey [Worthen] played a great ball into my chest and I saw Connally out of the corner of my eye making that run, and Connally did very well breaking through, keeping his composure and burying that shot,” Maher said.

But Carolina’s defense, which had allowed just one goal in its first four matches at home this season, suffered another letdown just before halftime.

In the 45th minute, Rochester’s Kenney Bertz headed a free kick back toward the near post, Rey Angel Martinez played it across the goal mouth and an unmarked Delicâte punched it in at the back post.

“We were very lackluster defensively, mentally more than anything I think,” said Carolina coach Scott Schweitzer. “We were sloppy tonight. They did things that exploited us, and now we have to make sure we correct those problems or other teams are going to do the exact same thing to us.”

Rochester went for the go-ahead goal early in the second half but shifted into more of a defensive shell as the match wore on. Though Carolina had a handful of chances down the stretch, none found their mark.

“We’re happy to go home with a point and keep three points between us and them,” said Rochester coach Laurie Calloway. “I’m sure they’re looking at it as two points lost, and we’re looking at it as a point gained.”

The result gave the RailHawks a point in the table, where they current sit in fifth place, but they realize they need to start getting the full three points at home. Of a possible 15 points they could’ve earned in Cary so far this season, they have seven.

“[Ties] are sure getting old at home,” Schwetizer said.

Friday's match marked Carolina's first in 12 days, but the RailHawks won't have to wait nearly as long to play again. They step out of USL-1 play Tuesday for their first ever U.S. Open Cup match. Carolina will play amateur side RWB Adria at 7:30 p.m. at SAS Soccer Park. They return to USL-1 play Friday at home against the Seattle Sounders at 8 p.m.

“It’s exactly what we need,” Schweitzer said of the quick turnaround. “We’re better off when we play.”