Chris Beech says Carlisle United must tonight offer no repeat of the defensive slips that cost them on their last trip to Oldham.

This evening’s league encounter is a quick return to Boundary Park for Carlisle, who lost 3-0 there last month in the Carabao Cup.

United have improved since that error-strewn loss to Harry Kewell’s men, and sit just a point off the top of League Two after three straight wins.

Beech said Carlisle have given away fewer “gifts” since their earliest games of the campaign and standards must remain high tonight.

“We conceded on Saturday [againt Colchester]…but they weren’t gifts,” he said.

“As long as we don’t give something away, we have something to hold onto and grow and have to continue to do that.

“Oldham [last time] was a prime example where there was nothing in the teams, but there was definitely something in the gifts we gave away, and we have to make sure we don’t do that this time.”

Carlisle’s recent form has put them at the right end of League Two and if results go their way tonight they could even top the table for the first time since November 2016.

Beech said of their high-flying status: “It’s better than [being down] the bottom, isn’t it?

“The points tally’s been very strong. We got, I think, 1.6 points per game for the last 10 before lockdown, we lost two, won four and drew four.

“That points per game has gone up since we’ve been able to recruit more players from January to the summer, but it doesn’t mean anything – it can soon go away, we’ve got to look after it.”

Oldham are 19th after six games, having picked up their first win of the league campaign at Bolton on Saturday when Zak Dearnley’s last-minute goal earned a 2-1 victory.

Carlisle's home game against Morecambe next Tuesday has been brought forward to a 7pm kick-off, from its original time of 7.45pm.