A Dwight Gayle penalty four minutes before half time has drawn Crystal Palace level at the halfway stage of their League Cup clash with League One outfit Shrewsbury Town.

Palace had an early opportunity to press their opponents from a free kick in the fifth minute, but Joe Ledley's effort posed no threat to Jayson Leutwiler in the Shrews goal.

Shrewsbury took a shock lead with the first chance of the evening, Matt Tootle doing the damage from close range after being teed up by Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro in the ninth minute.

Palace almost registered an immediate response straight after the restart as Gayle's cross narrowly averted the head of Wilfried Zaha in front of goal.

It took the Eagles until the 41st minute to equalise, Zaha drawing a foul in the penalty area before Gayle stepped up to slot home from 12 yards.

Palace ended the half on the front foot as Zaha crashed an effort against the post minutes before the whistle, the attack stopping in its tracks as an offside flag went up.