LIVERSEDGE have finally got over their Achilles heel in the FA Vase, and their manager Jonathan Rimmington is already dreaming of Wembley ahead of today's first round clash at home to Newcastle Benfield.

Sedge beat Ashton Athletic 3-1 a fortnight ago in the second qualifying round, a team who had knocked them out of the competition in two of the previous three seasons.

That win continued their magnificent run of form, and Rimmington sees no reason why his team cannot go all the way in the cup.

He said: "We kept getting beat by Ashton, so we've overcome that hurdle now. It will be a tough test against Newcastle, but if we win, we're just six games from the final at Wembley.

"We'd have to take the games one at a time if we keep progressing, but I do think we've got a real chance this weekend.

"We've had a massive report done on Benfield, and we did play them four years ago in the Vase too.

"They had a lad up front then called Paul Brayson who's an ex-pro. He's still there now aged 43 and he scored five goals for them last week.

"I wouldn't have thought he'll be able to move around the pitch so well, but by all accounts, he's still class in and around the box.

"We'll make plans accordingly to combat that threat and the couple of others they have, while trying to attack their weaknesses."

Sedge's previous game saw them execute their plans perfectly, as they thumped Goole 6-0 last weekend.

But they had to call off Tuesday's home game with Handsworth due to a coronavirus scare.

Rimmington explained: "It was just one of them things, you can't help it. One of our players' partners tested positive for the virus, and so has he now.

"We did all we could and followed the procedures. We didn't want to be putting anyone at risk, as a lot of older people come to our games.

"We put all the evidence to the league and asked what we should do and they said the game should be called off.

"Thankfully it's only the one player, and we're fine to play this weekend now."

One man who has caught the eye this season has been centre-back Kevy Tarangadzo. He has helped Sedge to four clean sheets in their last five games, and scored four in his last six.

Rimmington said: "Kevy's been with us for five years, but last week was only his 50th game.

"He's one of them who'll play in batches then disappear, and he's spent time at Yorkshire Amateur and Witton Albion in the last few years.

"But he seems to have got his head screwed on now, which is what we want.

"He's 6ft 4, he's strong, athletic and committed.

"He also seems settled now and happy to be playing in a decent team."

Tarangadzo has surprisingly been banging in the goals this season, but he hasn't really needed to, with the club's multitude of strikers in such good form.

They have been so impressive that there was no space for poor Mark Simpson.

Simpson is a player of real pedigree and is Garforth Town's all-time record goalscorer. He signed for Sedge earlier this month but left after just a fortnight to join Silsden.

Rimmington explained: "Me and (Silsden boss) Danny Forrest speak quite a bit, and he needed a striker, with Antony Brown going to Mossley.

"We've signed Ash Flynn from Yorkshire Amateur this month too, and when we got him, we just felt there wasn't the need for two similar players like him and Mark.

"We've already got the likes of Joe Walton, Oliver Fearon and Paul Walker, who is such a great footballer by the way, up there, as well as Carl Stewart.

"Carl hasn't even played yet, as he's still serving a long ban from an incident during a game at his last club Selby.

"He's a decent goalscorer though, so when we found out we could get him this summer, we jumped at the chance.

"He's another big threat and what you'd call a proper centre forward, which could be crucial with the weather and pitches turning.

"I watched (Sedge's chief title rivals) Yorkshire Amateur play Goole in midweek and they could only draw with them 0-0, when we'd beaten Goole 6-0 a few days earlier.

"The Ammers are a good team and they'll get the ball down and play, but we've got a bit of everything, depending on the conditions.

"That will stand us in good stead going forward, as we want to try and win a tricky game this weekend, before a tough month in the league, which starts at (third-placed) Bridlington next Saturday."

Thackley are also in action today, as they host Silsden in a Bradford District derby in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division.

Eccleshill United are at home too, as they entertain Staveley Miners Welfare.

In Division One of the NCEL, Campion travel to mid-table Parkgate, looking to increase their lead at the top of the table.

Brighouse Town are in FA Trophy action, as they host Buxton in the third qualifying round.