HK Sandnes secured a 33:29 victory over Varhaug in the Norwegian Cup on Wednesday evening. The away side finished with four goals clear after a competitive contest at Varhaug's home ground. The result extends Sandnes's momentum after a mixed run of form in recent weeks.
Varhaug came into the fixture with two recent results to build on, including a commanding 42:32 win over Raestad in May. Their previous outing saw them fall narrowly 28:30 against Lillestrøm. Sandnes, meanwhile, had bounced back from defeats with a 29:22 win over Bodø on their last outing.
The visiting side's recent record tells a story of inconsistency. They have lost three of their last five league matches, including heavy defeats to Runar and Fjellhammer. Yet they carried that unpredictability into the cup tie, where they managed to close out the result despite Varhaug's home advantage.
What stands out is the margin. Four goals separated the sides at the final whistle, enough to send Sandnes through but not a result that suggests complete dominance. Varhaug showed they could compete, but Sandnes's experience in these tighter moments made the difference.
For Varhaug, the cup exit comes at a sensitive point. They had put together a solid win against Raestad before this setback. The loss to Lillestrøm followed by this defeat leaves them searching for consistency ahead of their next fixtures.
Sandnes's cup progress continues, and the result adds weight to their claim of having the deeper squad when it matters. They are still finding their rhythm after a difficult spell, but victories like this against established opposition matter in a knockout tournament.