TIVOLI GARDENS have made the perfect start to their Digicel Premier League title defence, winning all three matches to be top of the roost with maximum nine points.

Arnett Gardens, who rallied to finish fifth last season, are again off to a very horrible start and have been the very opposite, dropping all points in their fixtures to be bottom of the standings, and pointless.

For their 6 p.m. showdown at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex today, the statistics overwhelmingly suggest a victory for the defending champions, whose all-conquering form is backed up by an impressive nine-goal tally and a mere two concessions.

However, nothing can be taken for granted as this is a meeting of arch-rivals, one that is not generally decided on form, as mirrored by their contests last season which went pretty much against the script.

That was until the very last match when Tivoli Gardens' 1-0 win on home turf bucked a losing trend and secured them the championship on goal difference over Portmore United.

Thus far, and very similar to last year's title race, things have certainly not changed for Arnett Gardens, who are hoping for a continuation of sorts to the 2008-'09 seasonal pattern, when they registered their first points of that campaign by taking a win off Tivoli Gardens at Complex.

The only difference this time is Arnett had lost one more match.

"All season we've been beating ourselves, nobody has been outplaying us," noted Fabian Davis, Arnett Gardens' coach. "Last season we had the same problem at the start.

key players

"It is up to us again to take ourselves out of this situation. Tivoli are the champions, they've been doing well, they've nine points, they've been on their game and are scoring goals," he observed. "But once we play to instructions we should be able to pull it off."

Kevin Wilson, Cornel Chin-Sue, Kwame Richardson and Kevin King are some of their key players who will be looking to dig Arnett out of the rut created by last-minute defeats against St Georges and Portmore United, and Wednesday's 0-2 flop at home to Sporting Central.

While the Junglists were losing their last game, Tivoli Gardens were stomping all over August Town at Edward Seaga Sports Complex, romping to a 4-0 victory.

Roland Dean, who netted a double in that match, as well as Keammar Daley who also scored, and Navion Boyd, have been at the forefront of Tivoli's rampaging surges that have increased in force since their kick-off 3-2 lung-opener against debutants Humble Lions.

Commenting on the reason for their flashy start, Tivoli Gardens' head coach, Lenworth Hyde Sr, said: "Pre-season preparation, we had a good preparation. We've to be thankful to Max Straw (assistant coach), he's been doing a great job. The discipline of the players is great, if we can keep them focused I'm sure we can have a good season again."

Continuing, Hyde added: "We've to keep improving with every game, we've to play better than we did against August Town and we can't give up any goals. It is important that we keep a clean sheet."

Hyde noted that despite Arnett's poor form, they will have to be on their toes because the opposing team's situation is one of desperation and they had the better of them last season.

"They're hell bent on not losing another game and they're playing at home," said Hyde. "Last season they beat us three times so we expect a tough game, it won't be easy against them. We've to go in there with a disciplined frame of mind."

wasted opportunities

Gigantic clashes at Drewsland and Collie Smith Drive also feature clubs quite desperate to get the Big W. Most desirous are Waterhouse, who have also lost all three opening matches.

It's not the kind of start Geoffrey Maxwell and his outfit anticipated upon his return as the head of the coaching staff. But as leading players Desmond Breakenridge, Kevin Lamey, Irvino English and Damion 'Capo' Williams, among others, continue to get fitter and sharper following their return from competition in New York, Waterhouse will feel their chances of turning around a rotten start are increasing.

Harbour View, with a slate of draws, are far from comfortable with their position, more so that two of the tied results were on home turf against opponents they felt they should have beaten.

Citing wasted opportunities and a record of concession in every match thus far, coach Donovan Hayles was left disappointed at Wednesday's 1-1 finish against St Georges at Compound, noting that "we will definitely be working on our finishing and, of course, defensively, we have to stop giving up goals".

Boys' Town, also, are yet to taste victory and if Andrew Price's team is to taste success today, last season's fourth-place finishers must do it without Daemion Benjamin, who was red carded in a scoreless midweek tussle at Rivoli.

Runners-up Portmore, who had their winning streak halted against spirited Humble Lions in a 2-2 tie at Effortville on Wednesday, are capable of winning anywhere but will have a tough time in what promises to be a close match-up.