Loanee latest: Stech shines

While West Ham United's players prepare for Monday's trip to Brighton & Hove Albion at Chadwell Heath, many of the club's band of loanees have been in npower Football League action on Saturday.

In the Championship, Herita Ilunga's Doncaster Rovers were beaten 3-1 at Portsmouth, while in League One Marek Stech (pictured) saved a late penalty as Yeovil Town drew 0-0 at Stevenage. Stech, the Czech Republic Under-21 goalkeeper, also made two key saves to make sure his team earned a point.

At the Priestfield Stadium, Frank Nouble's Gillingham secured a 1-0 victory over Rob Hall's Oxford United, with both young forwards starting the game for their respective sides. The result saw Oxford drop from third to seventh, while Gillingham moved above the U's into fifth.

Cristian Montano - who scored on his debut at Accrington Stanley last weekend - started for Paolo Di Canio's Swindon Town at Plymouth Argyle, where Raffaele Da Vita's late goal saw the Robins overcome the Football League's bottom side 1-0. Ahmed Abdulla was not involved for Swindon.

Elsewhere, Callum McNaughton's AFC Wimbledon dropped from sixth to ninth following a 5-2 home defeat by fellow League Two new boys and leaders Crawley Town, while Olly Lee's Dagenham & Redbridge suffered an identical defeat by Jordan Brown's Aldershot Town to Victoria Road. Both Lee and Brown were introduced as second-half substitutes.

In the Blue Square Premier, Dominic Vose was introduced as an 84th-minute substitute for Braintree Town as Alan Devonshire's side secured a 3-1 home win over Darlington.

The weekend loanee action continues on Sunday, when Jordan Spence will hope to feature when Bristol City take on UEFA Europa League hopefuls Birmingham City in the npower Championship and Pablo Barrera Real Zaragoza travel to CA Osasuna in Spain's Primera Division.