SHANDON Baptiste says he has learnt from his own stupidity and is ready to help ignite Oxford United’s season.

The young midfielder has been a shining light in what has been a torrid opening two months for the U’s, who sit bottom of Sky Bet League One and are without a win in eight games.

Baptiste was sent off for the first time in his fledgling career nine days ago following two bookable offences in the 2-1 defeat at home to Luton Town.

After missing the goalless draw at Southend United on Saturday, the 20-year-old picked up where he left off with a strong display in the Checkatrade Trophy defeat to Northampton Town on Tuesday night.

The Grenada international is now looking to build on his impressive start and hopes he will be a better player for the experience.

Baptiste said: “It was frustrating, because it just came stupidly from me obviously not learning that I had a yellow card and I needed to settle down.

“But I think I’ve learnt from it now and that’s all you can do in these type of situations.

“Looking back on it, I think I was treading on thin ice and obviously that got cut when he sent me off, but hopefully it won’t happen again.

“It was just a match I wanted to win and that’s the attitude I have and how I go into games.”

Baptiste, who signed a new long-term deal last month, has enjoyed a stunning season so far.

After making his first senior start in August, he was surprisingly named captain for United’s Carabao Cup tie at home to Manchester City a fortnight ago.

He was named as skipper again for the Luton fixture and only his dismissal in that game resulted in his absence from the matchday squad.

With 90 minutes under his belt from Tuesday night, Baptiste is now raring to go for United’s crunch clash against second-bottom Plymouth Argyle on Saturday.

The U’s, who ended a run of three-straight league defeats last weekend with the draw at Roots Hall, would find themselves four points adrift at the foot of the table if they lost to the Pilgrims.

And Baptiste knows the pressure is on for the side to deliver.

He said: “It’s not easy, but even though we haven’t been getting results, everyone is still united.

“Even if you can’t see it from the outside, that’s what it’s like here.

“In these situations, you know confidence is going to be low.

“But everyone knows how good they are and hopefully we can start showing that and use the result at the weekend to go into Plymouth and get a win.”