Cometh the hour, cometh the Welshman and within eight minutes of coming on a powerful close range header from a cross by Gianfranco Zola gave the Blues something to sing about.”We got out of jail,” said Gullit “Now we’re looking forward to the second game. But perhaps almost as importantly they will not have their manager, Ruud Gullit, playing. Last night the great Dutchman was almost a liability, sacrilegious though it may be to say so.Whether it was due to lack of match fitness or just the advancing years, the 35-year-old struggled to survive the pace of an English semi-final. He was at fault for Arsenal’s opening goal, punished by a relative upstart from his own country, Mark Overmars. “I blame myself for the goal, but I get the blame for everything if we lose,” Gullit admitted, and he had the good sense to move himself out of the dangerous area of defence.

My boy is innocent and I think the suspension is ridiculous.”Racing in crisis, page 29. Clive White

Arsenal 2
Chelsea 1Chelsea are in with a fighting chance of returning to Wembley for a second successive season – though they may never know how. Comprehensively outplayed by Arsenal, almost to the same embarrassing degree as they were by Manchester United when removed from the FA Cup earlier this month, they go to Stamford Bridge in three weeks’ time with just a single-goal deficit to correct.Then, they should have Roberto Di Matteo and Franck Leboeuf available, who missed last night’s tie because of international duty, and Dennis Wise fit after injury. From what Leighton has said to me there is no possible way that my boy could have done anything wrong. I believe in `innocent until proven guilty’.”They were arrested like criminals and now they are taking their livelihoods away as well. “We wish to make it clear that this is not a disciplinary measure.

However, the Jockey Club has a duty to maintain confidence in racing. The Committee decided that the suspension of the licences was the right action in the wider interests of the sport.”The Committee will meet on 4 February when the jockeys will have the opportunity to make further representations as to why that suspension should not be continued for a longer period.”Egerton and Josh Gifford, the trainers of the horses involved in the dopings, were vehement in their criticism of the Jockey Club’s decision.Egerton, the trainer of Avanti Express, ridden by Osborne when pulled up at Exeter on 7 March, said: “I totally believe in Jamie Osborne’s innocence. “It’s a diabolical decision and I think those who made this decision are turning racing into a laughing stock. I think any ban is scandalous, I’ve no doubt he will be exonerated.”Gifford was equally uncompromising in his reaction to the decision to suspend Aspell, who is the conditional (apprentice) jockey for his stable and who rode Lively Knight, who tested positive after his run on 29 March.”Are they guilty or are they not?” he asked.

The three-man committee comprising Gurney Sheppard, a long-standing member of the Jockey Club, Philip Blacker, a former jockey, and David Gibson, a prominent racehorse breeder, will reconvene next week to consider whether the suspensions should be extended.”The decision to suspend the licences was not taken lightly,” Christopher Foster, the Club’s executive director, said. Had Gallagher and Aspell been allowed to fulfil their engagements today, they would have done so amid a media scrum, and would also have risked abuse from racegoers.The jockeys, however, are clearly dissatisfied by the ban, irrespective of the fact that it is, at present, temporary, and the Club is on questionable ground in removing the chance to earn a living from riders who have not been found guilty of wrongdoing.Andrew Chalk, Jamie Osborne’s solicitor, said afterwards: “The jockeys were notified about today’s hearing by letter last night [Tuesday] and they were very disappointed to be given such short notice about such an important issue affecting livelihoods and careers.”In a statement of its own, the Club said that the ban had been imposed “to maintain the public’s confidence in horse racing”. Despite numerous requests, no evidence was provided in support of any such allegations. The jockeys will continue to co-operate with the Metropolitan Police and the Jockey Club, and they categorically deny any wrongdoing.”The Jockey Club, the ultimate authority in matters of racing discipline, clearly feels that it needs to be seen to act following Tuesday’s dramatic events.