"We have been lucky enough to play at the [covered] Forsyth Barr Stadium and last year we played at a different venue but we've never played at Sunnyvale Park but that's not something that'll ever faze us."
Hoyle says the Southerners look much stronger than they did last summer but feels Bay United are confident of returning with three points after adequate preparation.
Kicking off late morning will mean they will have to change their routine with an early breakfast but that'll also come under the discipline of adapting to variables in a semi-professional environment.
"We are the only unbeaten team now and we want to remain unbeaten so we're going down there just wanting to win and we're not going to be playing for anything else."
He suspects Southern United will turn the game into a battle, especially aerially, but believes captain Bill Robertson, Graham Craven and Hayden McHenery will be able to absorb anything and then hurt them on the counterattack through fast breaks.
"We've got the match in the physical sense as well, because we're strong in the air and in tackles, but I think our quality will come through as we're better than them on the ball."
Class always comes through but it always pays to be conscious not be drawn into playing the aggressors' brand of football.
Of course, there's always the referees' interpretation of what constitutes physicality, although you wonder if everyone is watching the same game when the All Whites and Peru are openly exchanging bear hugs right in front of officials during their World Cup qualifier in Lima on Thursday.
"It's always a tough job for the referees because, you know, the players don't always agree with all their decisions ... but it'll be a difficult game and the referees will also know that going into the game."
Bay United, he says, will be hoping the whistle blower and flag wavers won't jump to rash decisions and assert their control for a free-flowing affair.
"We'll also be playing to the referee as well because if he's brandishing cards early we won't be making daft tackles and work through that throughout the game."
Both sides will have their tails up after coming off 2-1 victories on the road to Auckland - Southern United over Waitakere United and Bay United over Eastern Suburbs .
The visitors have won two of the four games and drawn the others to sit fourth on the 10-team national summer league table.
Southern United have won one and lost one and have registered two draws to find a perch on the sixth rung but will, no doubt, see this as a crucial moving stage of the campaign, albeit early days, to remain in the running for a playoffs berth.
The 21-year-old Englishman says Bay United, with their major personnel changes, are better organised this season than the last one.
"Everyone in the team knows what they have to do to win games," he says, believing team spirit has prevailed over individualism so far this season.
Hoyle made his first start at leftback in the last round at William Green Domain after coach Brett Angell moved incumbent Kohei Matsumoto, of Japan, higher up the park as a roving defensive midfielder.
"I think I did enough last week to retain my place in the squad as the season goes on," says the bloke who is in his second summer with Bay United.
He believes Southern United tend to be the yardstick for physicality although Waitakere and Canterbury United Dragons aren't far off either in that department.
Hoyle arrived in the Bay with brother/striker Stephen Hoyle, who has since been plying his trade with the Dragons after a stint with Conroy Removals Napier City Rovers in the Lotto
Central League, the premier winter league in the Central Districts region.
On a personal note, Hoyle is delighted to have a Kiwi girlfriend, Briar Cresswell, which means he has a meaningful sense of connection to the province and his commitment to the Blues has intensified because he has signed to return to their campaign next winter.
"Now I'm just looking to stay local and play from Hawke's Bay, hopefully, nail a starting spot and hang around for a few years to come."
Napier defender Fergus Neil is the only change in the squad after picking up an injury that could put him out of action until early next year.
Hastings teenager Karanjit Mandair, a midfielder, comes into the equation.
BOTH TEAMS
■ SOUTHERN UNITED: 16 Liam Little (GK), 2 Conor O'Keeffe (c), 3 Tom Connor, 4 Stephen Last, 5 Kristian Gibson, 6 Danny Ledwith, 7 Omar Guardiola, 8 Jared Grove, 9 Garbhan Coughlan, 10 Danny Furlong, 14 Andrew Ridden, 22 Michael Hogan, 24 Morgan Day, 25 Hamish Cotter, 1 Tom Stevens (RGK).
Coach: Paul O'Reilly.
■ HB UNITED: 1 Ruben Parker Hanks (GK), 2 Hayden McHenery, 3 Kohei Matsumoto, 4 Graham Craven, 5 Bill Robertson, 6 Alex Palezevic, 7 Wesley Cain, 10 Adam Thurston, 11 Hayato Wakino, 14 Gavin Hoy, 15 Jim Hoyle, 16 Liam Hayes, 19 Birhanu Taye, 21 Bjorn Christensen, 24 Karanjit Mandair, 26 Mackenzie Waite (RGK).
Coach: Brett Angell.
Ast coach: Jamie Dunning.
