COLIN Coates insists Crusaders are hungry to defend their IRN-BRU League Cup crown.
The Crues were on Wednesday paired with Premiership champions Linfield in the semi-final draw.
The holders will travel to Windsor Park on December 11 intent on progressing to another showpiece final - which this year will be shown live on Sky Sports on January 26.
Crusaders defeated Coleraine in the decider last season before going on to lift the Setanta Sports Cup.
And captain Coates believes the Shore Road men now have a taste for success.
“We won two trophies last season, and I think now the lads have a taste for it. We all want more,” Coates said.
“If we can keep getting to finals then we have the chance to do that.
“You can’t stand still in the Irish League or you will slip down.
“You have to try and progress and keep winning silverware, so we have a great chance to do that in the League Cup.
“It is a tough draw, but I don’t think it would have mattered who we got. It was always going to be a difficult draw for us.”
Coates believes Crusaders should take heart from their 2-1 Premiership win over Linfield at Windsor Park back in September.
“Our record there has been pretty abysmal in recent years.
“In many respects Linfield have been our bogey team,” he added.
“So that win was like getting a monkey off our backs.
“We know we can go there and get a result and that’s what we will be aiming to do on December 11.”
In the other semi-final Glenavon travel to Solitude to face Cliftonville.
Lurgan Blues player/boss Gary Hamilton believes his side will have “nothing to lose” against the Reds.
“I would say all the other three clubs in the draw would have been hoping to get us in the semi-finals, given our position in the league,” Hamilton told the News Letter.
“Cliftonville are probably rubbing their hands in delight, but that suits us.
“Nobody outside of Glenavon gave us a chance against Glentoran the other night and we won.
“There were probably some of our own fans who doubted we could win.
“Now we are in a semi-final we have nothing to lose.”
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