Saturday June 2 - Melbourne Ground
Crowd - 3000-4000
Melbourne 1
Hotham 1 (half time 1-1)
Match drawn
Goalkicker: Charles Baker 1
Hotham went in with a heavier team, but Melbourne's discipline helped them level out the playing field. Melbourne won the toss, but without a wind advantage either way they instead chose to have their opponents defend with the sun in their eyes during the first half.
F. Baker had the first shot for Melbourne, but though the ball was online it fell just short and the Hotham players cleared it. After ten minutes C. Baker took a mark directly in front after Longden had kicked a ball over his shoulder to get out of a dangerous situation. Baker converted.
Melbourne took the lead to half time, but should have had another. Harry Downes marked 20 metres out but badly shanked his place kick. Soon after the break Hotham (later to become North Melbourne) punished the Reds by equalising from a free kick.
As the game went on the field became smaller and smaller with spectators encroaching, by the end the field was barely 30 yards wide. Despite attacking continuously late in the match Hotham couldn't break through for the winner, and eventually the crowd's encroachment onto the field meant the game had to be ended with the scores level.
Best were Longden, Bennie and Williams.
Team
Sillett (c), MacDonald (vc), Anthony, C. Baker, F. Baker, Barrass, Bennie, Booth, Coldham, Cooke, Cooper, Downes, Forrester, Lamrock, Longden, McKie, Moffatt, Page, Ross, Sergeant, Seward, Suhard, Watson, Webb, Williams
Notes
Some sources show the half time score as 1-0 Melbourne.
Media
The Argus - 04/06/1877
Australasian - 09/06/1877
Advertiser - 19/06/1877