The best of their players was winger Little who made several strong runs and scored the opening try, with fellow winger Ross Taurima bagging a first-half double.
It was encouraging to see the rejuvenation of the once-famous Ngongotaha club that has been out of the big time in Baywide rugby for decades. They and Arataki will put plenty of pressure on last year's Premier teams in the battle to make the top eight for the championship round.
Meanwhile, Tauranga Sports made it two from two with a hard-fought, two-tries to nil win over Te Puke Sports under the lights at Murray Salt Stadium in Te Puke on Thursday night. Winger Tyrone Keith and No 8 Harley Fox scored in the 13-9 win.
Match-ups between these clubs are always intense. After losing to Greerton Marist with the final kick last week, the Te Puke Pirates will be disappointed to have lost another game they could well have won.
But the Tauranga team, under the coaching duo of Euan Mackintosh and Culum Retallick, deserve credit for the way they defended their line in the closing minutes.
"The most pleasing thing for me was the character that we showed in defence, especially late on in that second half when they were really pushing," Mackintosh said.
"It is never easy to go up there and win so to be under that much pressure with just a four-point lead and defend was the biggest pleasing point for me.
"First and foremost the goal is to finish in the top eight. We have a few new faces in amongst us and a good mixture there I think of guys who have been there a long time and some new faces. We are just trying to get that group cohesion ticking over and keep building week in; week out is the main goal at the moment."
In other games Arataki took care of Whakatane Marist 38-26 to start their season off with two wins, Rotoiti defeated Greerton Marist 29-12 on the shores of Lake Rotoiti, Te Puna trounced Paroa 89-19, and Mount Maunganui edged Whakarewarewa 38-20 at Puarenga Park.
