Saturday 5 June - MCG
Crowd - "About 4000"
Melbourne 1.1, 3.3, 3.5, 3.6
Essendon 0.2, 1.9, 2.13, 3.20
Match drawn
Goalkickers: Carroll 1, Morgan 1, Murphy 1
After four straight losses against senior clubs to open the 1886 VFA season, Melbourne finally at least got out of a game with a draw - but they wouldn't have got close if their visitors had been able to convert better.
Essendon were first to attack, but when Melbourne kept them out they were able to launch forward themselves and put the opposition goal under attack. Nobody was able to convert, and Essendon were next to go forward and score two behinds.
Melbourne got the first goal of the game through Carroll, and at quarter time they were in front despite Essendon having four attempts on goal which resulted in behinds.
A much improved home side got the second goal after Morgan marked from Murphy and kicked truly from a tight angle. Essendon were desperately trying to score a goal but kept kicking behinds. They eventually got one out of a pack, but just as soon as they'd got their first Melbourne got their third.
Essendon struck back after half time, kicking their second goal almost immediately, but and continued to pepper the goals throughout the second half for little reward. Melbourne had their chances too but failed to convert for a major again. Just when it looked like time would expire and Essendon would lose because of their terrible accuracy they snuck the equalising goal.
Best were P. Murphy, Carroll and Coulson.