Saturday 14 September - Melbourne Ground
Crowd: 2000
Melbourne 0
West Melbourne 3 (half time 0-3)
West Melbourne win by 3 goals
Melbourne were still in premiership contention, but their form had began to dip and their chances of being acknowledged as the champion team of Victoria suffered a hammer blow courtesy of the rookie senior side. West fielded a better team than the one which had drawn with Melbourne in June, and they rewarded the confidence of their supporters with an easy victory.
Kicking into the breeze the home side were on the back foot from the start, and conceded five behinds in the first quarter of an hour. The three goals then came in quick succession and the match was all but over.
Melbourne had the wind in the second half and immediately threatened but could not break through for a goal despite several attempts. A Frank Conway sitter missed from directly in front didn't help their cause - and in a sign that football's power-base was shifting it became the first time Melbourne and Carlton had ever lost on the same day.
Best were Downes, McKie and Sandilands.
Media
Argus - 14/09/1878
Australasian - 21/09/1878