Ilunga set for Boleyn return

Congolese defender Herita Ilunga could make his comeback at the Boleyn Ground tomorrow - for visitors Doncaster Rovers.

The out-of-contract former Hammer, who left the club my mutual consent back in January has been training with Leyton Orient in an attempt to keep fit.

However he is poised to sign a short-term deal with Doncaster that would enable him to feature for Rovers when they visit the Boleyn Ground tomorrow.

Donny boss Dean Saunders has revealed that he is close to re-signing the player who spent three months on loan at the Keepmoat Stadium earlier in the season. "He’s been training with Leyton Orient but he’s not as fit as he was because he hasn’t played for a month," he said.

"But we’ve got a lot of important games coming up and with George Friend still injured, apart from young James Husband we’ve got no cover. I don’t want to play a right-back there, like I had to do on Tuesday when Tommy came off.

"Hopefully Tommy will be fit. But if he isn’t then hopefully we’ve got someone who can come in for him. We’ve got a lot of games coming up and I don’t want to be under-strength. I’ll be sitting down with Ilunga and see if we can strike up a deal."

Ilunga initially joined West Ham on loan from Toulouse in September 2008 as a replacement for George McCartney, who was sold to Sunderland but has since returned to the club.

After impressing during his first few months in east London, the 30-year-old defender was offered a permanent contract in January 2009.

However Ilunga's form dipped dramatically after signing a four-year deal in the summer of 2009 and he was used sporadically thereafter before finally being dumped last January.

* Development squad striker Frank Nouble has completed a month-long loan move to Championship club Barnsley.