Saturday 10 August - East Melbourne
Crowd: 3000 - 4000

Melbourne 0.8
Hotham 0.10 (half time 0.4 to 0.7)

Match drawn

Having played themselves into some form against Albert Park the previous Saturday, Melbourne were looking for another win against a senior side but were unable to get a result.

With a breeze blowing across the ground much of the play was confined to the Jolimont side of the ground. Hotham had a slight advantage with the breeze in the first half and their vigorous play forced Melbourne to launch several spirited defences of their goal in the opening minutes. Hotham also missed an easy shot from 20 yards out and hit the post to leave the game scoreless.

The two sides were both wasteful in the first half, with 11 behinds between them in an era when they didn't count as part of the score. Hotham had been the better side, with the majority of scoring 'shots' while Melbourne were left with a handful of counter-attacks to show for their effort.

Melbourne opened the second half well but still couldn't score, and were being constantly repulsed by Hotham's defenders. The visitors had a late chance to win but what would have been a mark in scoring position was thwarted by a desperate spoil by Booth in the dying minutes.

Best were Longden, Wills and Sillett.

Selected side
C. Baker, F. Baker, Booth, Boys, JV Cook, Cooper, Crohan, Downes, Houston, Lamrock, Longden, A. McKie, J. McKie, Nicholas, Sandilands, Sherard, Sillett, ?nson, Waldron, Wills. Emergency - Beil.

Media
Weekly Times - 10/08/1878
Argus - 12/08/1878
Australasian - 17/08/1878