Saturday July 18 - MCG
Crowd - 500
Melbourne 3.6
Essendon 2.9 (half time 1.4 to 1.4)
Melbourne win by 1 goal
Goalkicker: Lynar 1, Unknown 2
A week earlier Melbourne had suffered their greatest ever loss, so Essendon entered the game as overwhelming favourites but suffered a shock loss in front of a paltry MCG crowd.
Essendon were unbeaten going into the game, had beaten the reds by nine goals in their last meeting and Melbourne had lost by 12 goals seven days before so it ranked as one of the all time greatest footballing upsets.
Melbourne even started with 19 players due to the unexpected absence of Willis, but a reserve soon took his place and shortly after the home side got the first goal of the game through Lynar. The favourites got the next behind, and continued to outscore their opponents without reward until after their fourth minor score when they equalised. Melbourne were still attacking though, and due to the good marking of their forwards they attacked the Essendon goal and went into half time with the same score.
The visitors might have been expected to run over the top of their struggling opposition, and they did get the first goal of the half, but Baird equalised for Melbourne and before long Carroll got another to put the home side ahead in front of the tiny but partisan crowd. They attacked again soon after, but soon Essendon rallied and for the rest of the game Melbourne's defence were under siege. They held out until the final bell and earned a famous victory.
Best were George Aitken, Billy Carroll and Baird.
It was the last match of the season played on the MCG before it began preparation for the upcoming football season.
Media
Argus - 20/07/1885
Sportsman - 22/07/1885
Australasian - 25/07/1885
Australasian - 25/07/1885