Colchester United knock Crystal Palace out of Carabao Cup

The U's progressed to the third round at Selhurst Park, winning 5-4 on penalties after the tie had finished 0-0 after 90 minutes.

Noah Chilvers slotted away the decisive penalty in the shoot-out and Luke Norris, Frank Nouble, Jevani Brown and Paris Cowan-Hall also scored from the spot, after keeper Dean Gerken had made a superb save to deny Andros Townsend's opening kick.

Cheered on by more than 1,000 of their vocal fans, U's produced a magnificent display over the 90 minutes, frustrating their hosts with a superbly organised and disciplined performance.

And although Colchester keeper Dean Gerken was the busier of the two keepers, the visitors were not without their chances, too.

Colchester head coach John McGreal made one change to his starting line-up for their game against Palace.

Luke Gambin was rewarded for his impressive second-half display as a substitute against Northampton Town with a place in the team at the expense of Jevani Brown, who dropped to the bench.

Tom Lapslie and Harry Pell were still sidelined, while Cohen Bramall did not feature despite being available again after suspension.

Palace boss Roy Hodgson picked a strong line-up packed with internationals, with the likes of Andros Townsend, Christian Benteke and former Philip Morant School pupil Connor Wickham in the hosts’ first XI.

Colchester were backed by an estimated 1,300 travelling fans in South London, who were hoping to see their side cause a big cup upset.

The odds were stacked against the League Two visitors and they almost fell behind inside the third minute when Victor Camarasa’s long-range strike was pushed away well to his left by U’s keeper Dean Gerken.

But Colchester soon settled and they nearly took a tenth-minute lead through left-back Ryan Clampin, who found space in the Palace area before drilling in a cross-shot that goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey had to dive to push away.

Indeed, Colchester enjoyed their fair share of possession in the early stages although Gerken did well again to race out quickly and deny Benteke in the area after Camarasa’s threaded pass had split the U’s defence.

Ben Stevenson dragged a low shot well wide just before the 20-minute mark and Colchester, backed by their noisy fans, played some nice possession football at times in the Palace half.

However, the U’s did receive a big let off 11 minutes before half-time when Benteke's shot smacked against the underside of the bar and dropped down the right side of the line for the visitors, after Townsend's pass had set him up the Belgium international.

Colchester were not without their first-half opportunities though and just before the break, skipper Luke Prosser’s shot sailed straight at Hennessey after Tom Eastman had headed Gambin’s free-kick into his team-mate’s path.

The U’s went in at the interval on level terms and McGreal will have been much the happier of the two managers.

England international Gary Cahill was sent on at half-time for Palace in place of Martin Kelly but Colchester registered the first effort of the second half when Luke Norris’s shot flew straight at Hennessey after Cahill had only partially cleared Ryan Jackson’s cross.

However, Gerken had to be at his best again to make another fine stop, pulling off a fine block to deny left-back Samuel Woods in the area after good play by Benteke.

Just after the hour mark, Palace sent Wilifried Zaha on for Wickham in a bid to make the breakthough and it almost came soon after when Cahill nodded wide from a corner.

However, Colchester came close themselves when Woods’ brilliant block in the six yard box deflected Ryan Jackson's rasping goalbound shot away for a corner, while Ben Stevenson’s free-kick was deflected wide soon after.

Colchester sent on Noah Chilvers and Brown for Stevenson and Gambin as the clock ticked down, before then introducing Paris Cowan-Hall to the far for Senior soon after.

But the sides could not be separated at full-time so the match went to penalties, where the U's prevailed.

COLCHESTER UNITED: Gerken, Jackson, Eastman, Prosser, Clampin, Comley, Stevenson (sub Chilvers, 77), Senior (sub Cowan-Hall, 90), Nouble, Gambin (sub Brown, 80), Norris.

Substitutes (not used): Kensdale, James, Poku, Ross.

Crystal Palace: Hennessy, Woods, Dann, Kelly (sub Cahill, 46), Riedewald, Camarasa, McCarthy, Townsend, Meyer (sub Ayew, 73), Benteke, Wickham (sub Zaha, 62).

Substitutes (not used): Tavares, Kouyate, Kirby, Henderson.

Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire).

U’s bookings: None.

Palace bookings: Cahill (foul, 70).

U’s sending-off: None.

Palace sending-off: None.

U's man of the match: Luke Prosser.