Ryger Stavanger — HK Melhus: 26:23, 1. Division

Ryeir Stavanger beat HK Melhus 26:23 in the 1st division on Saturday. The home side finished ahead after a game that stayed close until the final whistle. By then the result was already decided, though not without tension.

And here's the thing — we had backed Melhus to win. Our forecast gave the visitors a 53 per cent chance of victory, but the match refused to follow that script. Stavanger's defence held firm where we expected them to crack.

To be fair, the standings tell a cautious story. Stavanger sit 12th after four games with one win and three draws, while Melhus occupy 7th place following three matches — two victories and a draw. Different number of games makes the comparison imperfect, but neither side has tasted defeat yet.

Recent form did not point toward this outcome. Stavanger have been losing ground — 27:32 against Nordstrand, 26:30 with Haslum, 20:33 to Bekkelaget — while Melhus have been collecting points steadily, including a 29:24 win over Bodo and a 30:25 result against Asane.

The result keeps Melhus unbeaten but does not change their position. Stavanger move closer to the middle of the table, though they still have work to do. Three points from four games is no foundation to build on, and they will need more than draws to climb.