Rochester came out fighting, drawing first blood just four minutes into the match when Mauricio Salles converted on a penalty kick for his third goal in two matches. Salles earned the PK after beating the Carolina defense from a long ball from Johnny Menyongar before being taken down from behind inside the area by former Rhino Frankie Sanfilippo. Sanfilippo was sent off for the challenge before Salles deposited the shot into the right side of the net.

Carolina, down a man, kept after Rochester and evened up the score in the 17th minute when Santiago Fusilier blocked a clearance from Rhino center back Alfonso Loera and then coolly slotted the ball past keeper Scott Vallow.

Carolina did not let down and took the lead 20 minutes later on a goal from Matthew Watson, who was sent through on a ball from fellow forward Dan Antoniuk.

After more hard nosed play up and down the field the Rhinos evened it back up off a corner kick three minutes from the halftime whistle. Matthew Delicate, who had entered the game just a minute prior, headed Luke Kreamalmeyer’s cross down to Scott Palguta, who buried a volley from 15 yards out inside the far post, leaving the RailHawks stunned.

The half ended 2-2 after a very physical first half which saw Rochester out foul Carolina 13-4 and yellows handed out to Carolina’s Richard Perdomo, Rochester’s Tiger Fitzpatrick as well as a red card to Carolina’s Frankie Sanfilippo.

Rochester started the second half off strong forcing three corners in the first 10 minutes of the half, breaking through on the third corner of the sequence on a disputed own goal. The corner was taken by 19 year old Danny Earls, who sent it to the far post where it met the head of Carolina defender Mauricio Segovia and traveled just across the goal line before being headed out of the net by Martin Nunez. The Rochester players began to celebrate as the Carolina players rushed to the sideline to argue the controvercial call.

Carolina looked to tie it in the 67th minute on a shot by Watson, but Vallow was up to the challenge, making a diving save to tip the shot wide. Three minutes later Nunez sent a scissor kick over the bar from 12 yards out narrowly missing knotting the score up once again.

Rochester had a chance to finish the RailHawks off in the 89th, but Carolina keeper Chris McClellan made a huge save on a Menyongar volley, who then sent the rebound flying over the net. Rochester native Jamil Walker almost tied it at three in the 90th minute but put his chance over the bar. Carolina got the last punch in during stoppage time when defender Caleb Norkus headed home a chip from Kupono Low to pull out the tie.

Rochester improved their league unbeaten streak to five matches and now have a record of 2-4-5. The Rhinos host the USL-2 opponent Pittsburgh Riverhounds in a United States Open Cup match Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m.