DANNY Hylton will step forward to take Oxford United’s next penalty despite his injury-time miss against Wycombe Wanderers.

The U’s leading scorer, who converted a first-half spot-kick to put his side ahead, ballooned his 91st-minute effort way over the bar as his side fell to a 2-1 defeat in Saturday’s Sky Bet League Two clash at the Kassam Stadium.

Hylton manfully came out afterwards to say sorry for the miss, but is adamant it will not knock his confidence – and he has no intention of giving up penalty duties.

“You can take missing a penalty because it will happen, but I shouldn’t miss the target like that so I apologise,” he said.

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“I lost us a point today, but I will pick myself up and will step forward again next time, no doubt.”

He added: “I decided to go the same way as the first one, but wanted to go hard and higher.

“The keeper was giving me the usual stuff of saying ‘I know where you’re going’, and that didn’t bother me at all, but unfortunately it went over so I’m obviously gutted.”

Michael Appleton’s side have now followed two wins with two defeats and remain at the wrong end of the table.

United went ahead when Hylton scored from the spot after 37 minutes, but a fast start to the second half by Wycombe saw the visiting side take the lead.

The U’s failed to create clear-cut chances, with away keeper Matt Ingram only having one routine save from substitute James Roberts to make in the second period.

Hylton acknowledged that United’s second-half display was not good enough.

“In the first half we were good, but then in the second half we started slowly and that’s what has killed us,” he said.

“We talked about making sure we didn’t come out slowly and that’s exactly what happened, which is disappointing.

“We tried to get back into it, but it was almost like there was some belief missing that we were actually going to do it.

“We obviously had that great chance at the end, but it wasn’t to be.”

To compound Hylton’s disappointment, a fifth booking of the season means the striker is now ruled out of next week’s FA Cup first-round trip to Grimsby Town.

However, he tried to see some positives in the situation.

“I don’t want to miss any games, but if I did have to miss one, I suppose I’d want it to be in the FA Cup rather than a league game,” he said.

“I’m gutted not to be involved because I’m confident at the moment and think I’m in decent form.

“But it might work in my favour to have a week’s rest and then go again.”

Grimsby warmed up for next weekend’s FA Cup tie with a 3-0 home victory against Dartford at the weekend – a fourth straight success.

They travel to Braintree on Tuesday before Oxford visit on Saturday.

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