JEROME Waite admits Arnett Gardens’ start to their Red Stripe Premier League title defence is not ideal, but he says he is not overly concerned about their early season form.

The defending champions have so far registered handsome victories in their two home games (beating UWI 3-0 and Boys’ Town 4-0), but have also suffered marginal defeats in their two away fixtures, losing 1-0 at Cavalier SC and Humble Lion.

But even while he would have loved a better start, the Arnett coach said “there’s no concern” at the moment.

“We just have to continue working,” said Waite following Sunday’s defeat at Humble Lion, “because once you are the champions everybody will be coming to dethrone you. So we know it will not be an easy road.”

And even as he hailed his opponents in this recent defeat, Waite thought Arnett, who are currently fifth in the standings, should have at least taken a point in Clarendon.

He said: “Definitely a tough loss. But first and foremost, give credit to the opponents; they played with 10 men for over (50) minutes.

“But,” he added, “where Arnett Gardens is concerned, faulty execution resulted in this loss.

“… This is a game in which we should have even pulled back a goal. But, in the end, we lost, so we just know that we have a lot of work to do come the next game.”