Saturday 14 August - Corio Oval
Crowd: 3000-5000
Geelong 6.17
Melbourne 0.6 (half time 3-0)
Geelong win by 6 goals
To everybody's surprise Melbourne had restricted Geelong to a draw in their first meeting for the season, but in the return leg the home side had no problems gaining their revenge. They had recently lost their 44 game winning streak and had a series of disappointing results but dispelled any thoughts that they were slipping with a thumping victory.
Approximately 500 Melbourne supporters made the trip on a special train organised by the club, but almost right from the start they saw the home team on top. The first goal came early in the game and they secured the second goal not long after, and a third almost immediately after that.
Melbourne were on the back foot. They did have a series of chances towards the end of the first half but were unable to take advantage and went to half time three goals behind.
Considering the quality of the Geelong 20 it was an almost unsurmountable lead, and a golden chance to Macdonald early in the second half was blown - and at the other end Geelong scored their fourth goal.
From then Melbourne collapsed and their goal was permanently under siege, the home team scoring two more goals and using their pace and skill at 'little marks' to dominate while the visitors were poor at marking and tendency to run too much with the ball.
Best were Aitken, McKenzie and Downes.
Selected team
J. Adams, D. Aitken, F. Baker, J. Bennie, R. Booth, W. Boys, FJ Downes, SC Lamrock, EW Longden, W. Longden, Macdonald, W. Mackenzie, W. Manifold, JG. McKie, T. Nash, F. Power, R. Sillett, R. Simson, EA Smart, JF Watson. Emergencies - A. Young, E. Silvester
Media
Argus - 14/08/1880
Ballarat Star - 17/08/1880
Weekly Times - 21/08/1880
Australasian - 21/08/1880