HALLAM Hope returns to Latics' starting line-up to face his former club, Carlisle United, this afternoon.

The striker scored his first goal since arriving at Boundary Park in the summer in Tuesday night's 3-1 defeat at home to Walsall.

Hope was dropped for the trip to Mansfield a fortnight ago after a difficult start to the campaign. But he finally got off the mark after coming off the bench as a 10th minute replacement for the injured Alan Sheehan in midweek.

He has earned a recall to the starting XI as he returns to Brunton Park this afternoon for the League Two six-pointer with managerless Carlisle, where head coach Keith Curle spent almost four years in charge from September 2014.

Hope's inclusion is one of three changes to Tuesday's line-up, with captain Carl Piergianni returning after a one-match ban for accumulated bookings.

Harry Vaughan starts, with Jack Stobbs absent from the squad. Goalkeeper Danny Rogers is also missing from the 18, replaced by Kacper Danielewicz on the bench.

LATICS XI: Jayson Leutwiler, Jordan Clarke, Carl Piergianni, Harrison McGahey, Harry Vaughan, Jamie Bowden, Davis Keillor-Dunn, Callum Whelan, Benny Couto, Hallam Hope, Dylan Bahamboula.

Subs: Kacper Danielewicz, Zak Dearnley, Dylan Fage, Vani Da Silva, Raphael Diarra, Faysal Bettache, Joe Edwards.