Sturhamar claimed a 31-26 victory over Jerpén in a women's club friendly on Saturday. The match took place at the home ground of Jerpén, though the visitors made the result count. It was a straightforward affair between two sides preparing for the season ahead.
Sturhamar's recent run has been encouraging. They beat Büssen 28-18 on Friday, then saw off Oppsal 30-26 the day before. A win over Sola Women on 31st May and a narrow defeat to them on 28th May rounds out their summer schedule. Things came to a head here with a performance that showed cohesion.
Jerpén have been busy too. A 26-24 win against Fredrikstad on Friday preceded a 27-24 victory over Fjellhammer IL. Earlier losses to Skanderborg and two defeats to Sola Women suggest they are still finding their rhythm. They had nothing to do all evening, really — the away side dictated the tempo.
By then, the gap had opened up enough that Jerpén found a way back into it only in fragments. Sturhamar kept their composure and saw out the result without panic. Three goals difference is enough to settle a friendly, even if it doesn't tell the whole story.
The result adds to Sturhamar's confidence ahead of competitive fixtures. Jerpén will need to tighten their marking if they want to match that level. Both teams have more games to come, and this one was just a stepping stone.