Corsham Town started their Hellenic Premier League campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Mangotsfield United in a pulsating encounter at Southbank.
The match exploded into life early on when Mangotsfield took the lead after just three minutes through a goalmouth scramble. Corsham responded swiftly, levelling the score in the 18th minute with a superb free-kick from Brad Selwood.
The Quarrymen were unlucky not to take the lead before half-time when a well-worked move ended with Allen heading against the post. However, the visitors were reduced to ten men just before the break when their captain was sin-binned for dissent after a penalty appeal was turned down.
The second half was a much tighter affair with few clear-cut chances. Corsham keeper Kent Kauppinen produced two world-class saves to deny Mangotsfield and preserve the 1-1 scoreline.
With time running out, Corsham introduced substitute Jamal Salawu, who made an immediate impact. His goal in the 84th minute, following a scramble in the box, put the Quarrymen 2-1 up. Mangotsfield threw everything forward in search of an equaliser, but Kauppinen produced another stunning save deep into stoppage time to secure the three points for Corsham.
The win is a promising start for the newly assembled Corsham squad, who demonstrated resilience, character, and attacking flair throughout the contest. Kauppinen’s exceptional performance undoubtedly earned him the Man of the Match award.
