Saturday 18 September - Melbourne Ground
Crowd: 6000-7000
Melbourne 1.6
South Melbourne 1.16 (half time 1.2-1.10)
Match drawn
Goalkicker: Aitken 1
Rain which had fallen throughout most of the previous 24 hours had been negated by bright sunshine which came just before the game, and the match started in good conditions 25 later than the appointed start time.
South dominated early, and kept the ball on the edge of Melbourne's goal for the first 20 minutes of the game before finally making use of one of their opportunities and registering the first goal of the game.
The visitors were dominant for 45 minutes, with Melbourne barely able to get the ball across the middle of the ground. South got a tenth behind before Melbourne had their first, but the home side put in a spirited performance until half time in a game described as "unnecessarily rough" and against the run of play Aitken equalised with a lucky goal.
In the second half Melbourne were much improved and often had the South goal under siege, but they couldn't break through for a second goal.
Aitken, Adams and Watson were best.
Notes
Some sources have the South score as 1.14
Media
Argus 20/09/1880
Australasian - 25/09/1880
Weekly Times - 25/09/1880