Hamilton-born defender Liam Hayes also took the opportunity to return to the Wanderers from Bay United.
"The swap was made quite easy because of that," De St Croix says, revealing he stumbled on to the chance of playing here after talking to Bay United striker Gavin Hoy after their 2-2 stalemate in Napier on January 7.
Hoy mentioned De St Croix's desire to cross the floor and the rest was history.
De St Croix has found the intensity of training here much higher than what was conducted in Hamilton.
"The boys here seem to be a little bit more fitter and stronger," he says, quickly becoming accustomed to the heat.
He is hoping to get on the park but if he doesn't he intends working harder to force his way into Angell's equation and also familiar with the full-press defence and counterattacking style of play here.
"I quite like breaking quickly, passing forward and having intensity on counterattacks."
De St Croix considers himself a front-foot centre-mid who foragers around the box, feeds the strikers and scores if the opportunity arises.
He had broken his wrist in the Wanderers' match against Team Wellington but he's seen enough to know they won't be easy-beats.
"Hopefully we can put them under pressure and win to give us a chance at playoffs for the remainder of the season."
De St Croix believes the vibe in training is good even though bridging four points may seem daunting.
"I think the boys have the right mentality to push forward and get into the top four, which is what I want o help them do if I can."
It's imperative for Bay United to be organised because Wellington's defence is solid.
"We just need to stay positive and believe we can win any game in any circumstances," he says, recalling when the Wanderers snuck ahead against Bay United at Park Island the hosts heads had dropped a little.
Angell is hoping the 3-2 victory away over Wellington Phoenix Reserves last Saturday will instil a sense of self-belief in the Bill Robertson-captained troops to again emulate their feat, albeit against tougher opposition.
"Wellington are top of the league and are there for a reason - we have to respect that but we've got to go there and take the game to them and hopefully come away with all the points," Angell told NZ Football.
"I think, realistically, we need to win six of our last seven games to give ourselves the best opportunity to be in the playoffs."
Bay-born Team Wellington midfielder Andy Bevin says Bay United are a well-structured outfit.
"They don't concede many goals so we know it's going to be hard to break them down," says former Napier City Rovers player Bevin, after they lost 2-1 to Eastern Suburbs in the last round.
De St Croix is in his maiden premiership season, arriving in Hamilton in October.
He had secured an American sports scholarship to play soccer at Monroe College in New York at 18.
However, a fractured knee in the second year saw the Englishman return home for six months before working his way back to full fitness.
De St Croix started kicking a ball when he was 2 years old, thanks to his father, Andrew, a skilful social competitive player.
"He could have gone higher but he got a pretty bad knee injury so he stopped playing and focused on him," he says of the former defender.
He joined his first club, Beacon Hill FC, at 4 at his village "where everyone knows everyone".
At 9, he joined a more professional Aldershot Town FC who were footing it in League Two where he trained up to three times a week.
But his mettle was put to the test at 14 when he attended a three-month trial with Fulham FC.
"I was told I was too small and not quick enough," says De St Croix, revealing at that time tall, athletic types were sought after.
He took it hard because it was his first taste of professional footy and at 14 he felt he still had a fair share of growth to undergo.
Fortunately he has a great family network of support who encouraged him to keep playing and following his dream.
The following year he went to Farnborough Town FC, who were in the Conference South level, where he honed his skills until he was 18 before the US scholarship beckoned.
De St Croix sees the "too small" verdict a blessing in disguise because if that hadn't happened he would never have gone to the States and, consequently, broadened his horizon as well as embark on trips to countries such as New Zealand.
"It's a good thing that football's shown me different places around the world and live there so it's been really good."
He doesn't have any long-term career goals but, while free of injuries, harbours dreams of playing in the A-League.
■ Team Wellington: 1. Scott Basalaj (GK), 2. Justin Gulley, 3. Scott Hilliar, 4. Mario Ilich, 6. Taylor Schrijvers, 7. Eric Molloy, 10. Nathanael Hailemariam, 11. Mario Barcia, 12. Andy Bevin, 13. Roy Kayara, 14. Jack-Henry Sinclair, 16. Angus Kilkolly, 18. Sekou Diane, 30. Marcel Kampman (RGK).
Coach: Jose Figueira
■ Hawke's Bay Utd: 1. Ruben Parker Hanks (GK), 2. Hayden McHenery, 4. Graham Craven, 5. Bill Robertson, 6. Alex Palezevic, 7. Wesley Cain, 8. Sam De St Croix, 9. Samuel Adjei, 10. Adam Thurston, 14. Gavin Hoy, 15. Jim Hoyle, 19. Birhanu Taye, 21. Bjorn Christensen, 23. Jorge Akers, 24. Karanjit Mandair, 26. Mackenzie Waite (RGK).
Coach: Brett Angell.
