LIVERSEDGE bravely bowed out of the FA Vase at the last-32 stage at the weekend, losing 2-1 at a strong Hebburn Town side.

After a tight opening half hour, Amar Purewal headed home Michael Richardson's corner to give the North-East side the lead on 31 minutes.

But that sparked Sedge into life, with Ollie Fearon heading one off the bar and Alfie Raw blasting the rebound over the crossbar.

The visitors atoned for those missed opportunities just moments later, with Thomas Greaves getting played in and finishing one-on-one to equalise after 36 minutes.

Sedge had a late first half penalty appeal turned down, before seeing an injury-time cross evade everyone.

They started the second half brightly too, with Jack Stockdill's fine 30-yard effort well saved by the Hebburn goalkeeper Mark Foden.

But Sedge survived a major scare just after the hour mark, with their stopper Jordan Porter bringing down striker Graeme Armstrong outside the box.

Fortunately, the colour of the card was only yellow.

Great work by the evergreen Paul Walker set up with Greaves with 20 minutes to go, but the Sedge scorer was denied a second by a good save from Foden.

And that miss proved crucial. Barely 60 seconds later, a fine low effort from the edge of the box by Hebburn's Michael McKeown found the bottom corner to give his side the lead.

Sedge threw on strikers Joe Walton and Ashley Flynn with 12 minutes left in an attempt to salvage something from the game.

It was Hebburn who had the next big chance though, with McKeown firing over a first-time effort over from inside the box.

In stoppage time, midfielder Ross Daly blasted the ball wide from 20 yards out, as the visitors attempted in vain to equalise.

The fight had not disappeared from Sedge's game, with late handbags seeing Fearon and Hebburn's Dan Groves booked.

But there were no more chances, as the Wembley dream died for Jonathan Rimmington's side.

In better news, the non-league restructure could go ahead (subject to FA Council approval) in time for next season, meaning Sedge, who are in the top three for points per game in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division over the last two seasons, may be in line for promotion.

They will need to pass financial and ground tests before that can happen.