Saturday 3 August - Melbourne Ground
Crowd: 'Over 2500'
Melbourne 2
HM 14th Regiment 0
Melbourne win by 2 goals
Goalkickers: William Freeman 1, Larry Bell 1
The two sides played a rematch of their brutal July meeting with an agreement that the Victorian rules of football would be more rigorously enforced than they had been the first time. Each team played with 16.
In front of a large collection of spectators, the soldiers turned up 30 minutes late. They did not appear to have developed any more finesse kicking the football, and when they attempted to push through with rugby scrimmages they were penalised by the umpire. There was still much brutality, with spills and torn shirts prevalent in the first 30 minutes. Despite earlier rain the condition of the ground held up, and Melbourne spent the first 10 minutes threatening to open the scoring. They were held back, but the action had the crowd so excited they had to be held back by police from encroaching over the boundary line.
Melbourne opened the scoring through Freeman, who dodged through play then drop-kicked a goal. Tom Ireland saved the home side just when it looked as if the soldiers would equalise, before what looked like Melbourne's second was ruled out for Ferguson running too far. With the regiment's style neutered by the rules they were unable to break through, falling to a game-ending goal from Bell that earned Melbourne their first win of the year.
Best were Harrison, Freeman, O'Brien.
An hour later, the sides returned for a scratch match.
Selected side
Harrison, Bald, L.Bell, Bennie, Bruford, D. Campbell, G. Dana, Finlay, Ferguson, Freeman, C. Forrester, Green, Hepburn, Hillsden, Horan, T. Ireland, Mack, O'Brien, Oswald, J. Stodart. Emergencies - Hurst, G. Waugh, Waugh, Holland, Moody, Hinton and Gair
Actual team
Harrison (c), Bennie, L. Bell, Ferguson, Finlay, Freeman, Hepburn, Hillsden, Horan, T. Ireland, R. Ireland, De C Ireland, Moody, O'Brien, Oswald, Stodart. Emergencies - D. Campbell, Green, C. Forrester, Bruford, Mack, Moody, G. Waugh, R. Waugh, Hinton
Media
Leader - 03/08/1867
Australasian - 03/08/1867
Argus - 03/08/1867
Age - 05/08/1867
Argus - 05/08/1867
Australasian - 10/08/1867