TOLL GATE, Clarendon — Sporting Central captain Marlon Allen believes maintaining their new-found defensive discipline will be crucial to any success they hope to have this season.

Sporting, along with Arnett Gardens, are currently the best defensive teams in the Red Stripe Premier League up to yesterday’s round of matches, having conceded only three goals in their opening six games.

Left back Allen, who is currently nursing an injury, admitted that being more cautious at the back is “new to us” but stressed that it is a top priority this season.

“We are taking it very seriously this season not to concede a lot of goals,” Allen said. “I think we are good enough to score two, three goals per game so if we can limit the number of goals that we give up we should be able to win a lot of games.”

Placing emphasis on defending is unfamiliar territory for the Clarendon side, which prides itself on producing free-flowing football, but Allen believes it will eventually make them a stronger unit.

“Over the years we have been playing some of the best football in the country, but we don’t really have anything to show for it,” Allen reasoned.

“We will always be a passing team because that’s how the players who brought up but our aim is to win the league so if that means putting more emphasis on defence we just have to do it.”

Allen, the most senior player in the squad, thinks their improved defensive shape has been influenced by coach Nigel Stewart.

“Coach ‘Lenks’ is a man who doesn’t like to see the ball playing around at the back foolishly. He rather we play it around in midfield going forward,” Allen revealed.