Last Sunday's 2-1 loss at Bluewater Stadium was an agonising result, with the winning goal coming three minutes from regulation time.
The Matt Calcott-coached Wellingtonians pipped the Bay franchise by the same margin on November 30 in their first encounter in Napier and only the hosts' second game of the season.
On that basis, there should be nothing in it in today's decider and, as they say, the beautiful game also can be a funny one when one least expects it.
Consequently, Bay United coach Chris Greatholder's enthusiasm ("It should be a cracker") is understandable as pundits rattle their abacus to see what the odds are after the hosts today will run on to the park with a distinct away goals advantage should the aggregate scores peter out to a stalemate following the regulation 90-plus minutes.
"It's quite simple - we'll just go down there to beat them. We're still very confident about doing that," Greatholder said before the team jetted off in three different flights yesterday after suddenly discovering on Wednesday the game was today.
Should the game reach a statistical stalemate after regulation time then it'll go into extra time of 30 minutes, 15 each way to break the deadlock.
"Well, 1-0 is good enough to take us into extra time."
No doubt something will have to give today but the Bay United faithful will recall Greatholder and captain Bill Robertson were pivotal in spearheading the franchise to their historic maiden semifinal playoff last summer in eight seasons of the premiership's existence.
Defender Danny Wilson has been around long enough to know the significance of progressing today into a grand final clash against Auckland City, considering Waitakere United most certainly need divine intervention to nullify the minor premiership champions' 4-0 head start when they kick off at 2pm at Kiwitea Street, Sandringham, tomorrow.
Not to mention, whoever makes the grand final qualifies for the OFC Champions League (Auckland are guaranteed an O-League spot as minor premiers).
"It'll be Hawke's Bay's biggest game in the history of the franchise," the 30-year-old left back stresses, echoing the sentiments of English import centreback Aaron Jones that the collective harbours O-League aspirations.
Enough said.
Wilson's season started somewhat cautiously after a stomach injury required an injection.
For about the last half a dozen games the Central League (winter) striker-cum-defender has found himself warming the benches.
"The team's panning out and the more attacking style of football suits someone like Fergus Neil than the type of defender I am," Wilson explained.
Sure, it's frustrating because no player relishes sideline stints but he is mindful that with a do-or-die attitude in a potentially season-ending match today his versatility as a physically bigger defender/attacker will be an asset when Greatholder yearns for some impetus up front or a stone-wall mentality among the Beefeaters.
"If we're trailing Chrissy may throw me in."
Needless to say, he is aware the coach is in charge.
"I'm not the type to throw my toys out of the crib and bawl," says the ASB bank officer who tied the knot with Lauren in February last year in her hometown of Macclesfield, Manchester.
"We celebrated our first anniversary in Fiji but I watched the game [on the website] at the pool."
A Manchester United fan, Wilson played in the Northern Premier League in England six years ago.
"I broke my foot so it knocked me out for a while after I had surgery."
He is the brother of Central League golden boot and Bluewater Napier City Rovers pivot Stu Wilson. Parents Jill and Malcolm are Rovers club stalwarts.
Danny Wilson, who also plays for the Rovers, says the Bay United culture is infectious.
"To be honest, it's the best season I've had in the six years I've been involved performance-wise and they are also a great bunch of lads."
That Greatholder and assistant coach Perry Cotton's philosophy works is a testimony to making the playoffs again this summer.
"We're establishing ourselves as a strong team in the league [premiership] after making the playoffs two times in a row so that's great for the region."
Beating Team Wellington today shouldn't be an issue, he reckons, because both camps were in each other's face in dominant spells in the first semifinal.
"In every game this season we have scored so we are not lacking confidence and we should score as many [goals] as we can.
"We'll be going in not thinking about who we're playing. No matter who we play it'll be no effort for the lads.
"We won't want to lose the fourth time so we know that'll drive us," Wilson says of a game to be staged on a grass pitch.
