72-year-old referee steps up to save the day
72-year-old Weymouth and Portland referee Ken Pipe steps in to take charge of local derby with only 15 minutes notice.
It had been decades since Ken Pipe played flanker for Weymouth & Portland but he still manages to get involved, even in his 70s, refereeing mid-week school matches.
He had gone along to Monmouth Avenue to watch the local Derby between his team and Bridport and was in the bar before kick-off washing down his lunch with a cold pint of Guinness.
His afternoon took an unexpected turn from there when Club Chair Fiona Goldsmith asked him to referee the game after the assigned official withdrew with covid.
With just 15 minutes notice Ken proceeded to rush home, grab his kit and put in a sterling performance in a match which saw the home side turn their fortunes around from a 12-18 deficit at half-time to run out 33-18 winners.
Despite little to no warning, Ken still managed to see through the full 80 and suggests that this outing would be a fitting conclusion to his time officiating senior rugby.
“The family know I’m barmy so they weren’t surprised,” said Pipe. “It was a Derby game, Yogi’s 300th appearance, and Bridport were on a good run. It would have been a real shame not to have the match played because they had no official.
“I was looking at my watch as players asked how long to go and the time seemed to go slower and slower.
“At 72 I was quite glad to last the whole 80 minutes, but I imagine this will be the culmination of my senior team refereeing.
“All the players got a good game and I enjoyed playing until I was about 40 so it’s good to put something back, although I don’t think I’ll be doing that level again.”
Weymouth’s prop 35-year-old Tim ‘Yogi’ Comben led the Seahorses out for his 300th game and was delighted to score a try, declaring it “absolutely amazing”.
The Weymouth man commended Pipe’s efforts after the game, and went on to insist he’s “got a few more games to go yet!”
