Saturday July 17 - Melbourne Ground
Crowd: 8000-12000
Melbourne 2
Carlton 0 (half time 2-0)
Melbourne win by 2 goals
Goalkickers: Utar Nicholas 1, Charles Carr 1
Melbourne's first win over Carlton since 1872, and on their sixth attempt in that time, put the destination of that year's premiership back in doubt.
With massive public interest in the city the large crowd was catered for with a wire fence erected to keep the playing area clear of spectators, but the big crowd soon found their way under the wire.
Charles Forrester captained his side for the first time, elected after Ben Goldsmith had left Melbourne for China, and won the toss to give his team the chance to kick with a slight breeze. They got the first goal through debutant Utar Nicholas, who missed one chance on goal then re-gathered and opened the scoring after just five minutes.
A second goal came just five minutes later, with another defensive error being capitalised on for Charles Carr to score a second. From there the rest of the first half was an end-to-end struggle, where Melbourne's defence kept out Carlton whenever they threatened. In the second half the Blues forced Melbourne back, but Forrester and Watson stayed strong in defence.
Carlton continued to attack, but couldn't break through and their 38 game streak without a defeat was over.
Best were Longden, Watson and Carr.
Selected side
Bell, Bennie, Bennie, Carr, Forrester, Freeman, Goldsmith (c), Hammill, Jennings, Johnson, Kneen, Longden, Loughnan, Loughnan, Marshall, Ryan, Sillett, Towle, Williams, Watson. Emergencies - Horan, Scott.
Media
Australasian - 19/06/1875
Australasian - 24/07/1875