Calcutta: After 12 long years, Mehtab Hussain made his first appearance in Mohun Bagan colours. And in no time he made his presence felt.

Mehtab didn't score, but his two assists played a crucial role in earning Bagan a 3-2 win against NBP Rainbow AC in slushy ground conditions at home on Tuesday - their second victory in as many matches in the ongoing CFL Premier Division A.

Brought on three minutes into the second half, Mehtab sent an immaculate free-kick which, Dipanda Dicka, playing his first match of the season, had no problem whatsoever in heading home. Taking the free-kick from just outside the box, the veteran midfielder used all his experience to send in such a floater that created confusion in the minds of the Rainbow AC goalie and their defenders.

That 50th-minute strike from Dicka helped Bagan equalise, before Abhishek Ambekar's attempt from the left flank went in after deflecting off Godwin Quashiga's palm, making it 2-1 in the 67th minute. A little while later, Mehtab was in action again in a set-piece move.

This time, his corner found Eze Kingsley whose header was guided home by Azharuddin Mallick. Down by a goal at the halfway stage, Bagan led 3-1 then and all but wrapped up the game.

Credit certainly goes to Mehtab for rising to the occasion when his team really needed it, while coach Shankarlal Chakraborty too deserves kudos for introducing the former East Bengal captain at the right time.

"Mehtab wasn't quite ready to play for the entire 90 minutes... He's a player who's habituated with playing on wet grounds and under rain, and of course, a player who can bail his side out of trouble," Chakraborty said later.

Rainbow AC did reduce the margin towards the end when Joel Sunday headed in an aerial ball, but that wasn't enough to trouble Bagan again. Rainbow AC, though, did put Bagan under pressure early on, especially when Abhijit Sarkar unleashed a wonderfully placed free-kick late in the first half.

Playing without Henry Kisseka, who missed the game after being down with fever since Monday night, things were really looking difficult for Bagan since then. Dicka too wasn't looking too comfortable. But Chakraborty took the right call after half-time and Mehtab came up with a perfect response. "No wonder it was a wonderful comeback. It's never easy to come back so well when you are trailing. Even Dicka and Azaharuddin did an excellent job," Chakraborty added.

Meanwhile, some U-13 and U-15 players of Rainbow AC were beaten up by Bagan fans during the game.

The colts, seated at the gallery during the game, expressed their joy when Abhijit gave Rainbow AC the lead in the 38th minute. Almost immediately, some Bagan supporters lashed out on them before they left the ground with police protection.

The players had to be taken to hospital where they went underwent stitches. Rainbow AC, it was learnt, have reported the matter to the IFA.