Saturday 12 August - Melbourne Ground
Crowd: 2000
Melbourne 1
Collingwood 0 (half time 0-0)
Melbourne win by 1 goal
Goalkicker: W. Thomas 1
With a 20 to 15 advantage, the lighter and slower junior club did well to defend against their senior opposition, but Melbourne eventually broke through for the winner. Collingwood lacked the weight to take advantage of their numbers, but their extra numbers helped them keep the home side at bay on the large ground. The Melbourne players would make dashes down the ground - in one case Henry Harrison going nearly from end-to-end - with a number of smaller Collingwood players trailing behind.
The game was in the favour of the smaller side for the first 15 minutes of the second, but wilted late in the game and conceded the only goal of the afternoon with almost the last kick of the game.
Best were Hepburn, Harrison, Byrne.
Notes
Australasian says 'Smith' kicked the goal, but no such player is recorded as playing for Melbourne in 1871.
Media
Australasian - 19/08/1871