Defending champions Appleby are finding the going tough in the Bermuda Ball Hockey Association league this season.

The title holders lost 4-1 to Positive Image Dental at Pembroke Community Club on Monday, with Chris Allington scoring twice and Tom Duggan and Ian Beaudoin on the scoresheet for the winners. Appleby’s consolation goal came from James Amaral.

It was the second loss in a row for last season’s champions, who had previously lost 5-3 to CG Insurance on November 8.

Despite the terrible start, Ryan Marshall, the Appleby captain is not pressing the panic button just yet as he expects the team to peak as the season progresses.

“We have lost two in a row but we are not worried,’’ Marshall said. “We had some players away and some bad bounces, but we will be in top form when the play-offs come around.”

Positive Images scorer Allington was relieved to finally get his is gear back on with the league programme disrupted by the inclement weather conditions that have been prevailing on the island in the past few weeks.

“We were happy to finally play a game without a weather delay,’’ Allington told The Royal Gazette.

“Everyone had been looking forward to it for a few weeks. Both teams played well but the goalies on each team were the standouts.”

In another match played on Monday, Frontier picked up their second straight win as they defeated Applied Computer Technologies 2-1 after a shootout.

Curran Trenouth opened the scoring for Frontier in the second quarter, with Sean McNulty levelling things up for ACT in the same period. John King scored Frontier’s crucial goal in overtime.