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Dwight Gayle (left) struck three times in the first 41 minutes

Dwight Gayle scored a first-half hat-trick as Crystal Palace eased past Walsall and into the third round of the Capital One Cup.

The managerless visitors dominated from the start, with Gayle beating the off-side trap to rifle home the opener.

The 23-year-old drilled home a free-kick before completing a 41-minute treble with another powerful shot.

For Walsall, Ashley Grimes had a second-half goal disallowed for off-side.

Eagles on top Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last 14 games against the Saddlers, a run stretching back to 1975.

Such was the clinical finishing of Gayle, who was substituted after 62 minutes, the visitors scored with three of their four shots on target.

It was the striker's pace which broke the deadlock as he scampered through following a quickly-taken free-kick, before his panache saw him step up outside the area and score direct from a set-piece.

His third was predatory as he latched on to Jerome Thomas's pass and fired in an angled 12-yard shot.

Following the match, Palace caretaker manager Keith Millen hinted he would remain in charge for Saturday's trip to Newcastle.

"My mindset is now to move on to Newcastle," he said. "I enjoy being in charge of the players - I enjoy making decisions and they are a good group to work with. They are honest.

"We have not let ourselves down the last couple of games in the Premier League, but we've not performed like we can.

"This performance tonight will give a bit of a gee up to the first team players and they know there's some competition there."

Palace entertain Newcastle in the third round.