Jon Stead's stoppage-time penalty has given League Two Notts County a shock 2-1 lead over Aston Villa at half time of the League Cup second-round clash at Villa Park.

Villa, who made nine changes for the tie, started the brighter with Adama Traore, making his first Villa start after an impressive 30-minute cameo against Crystal Palace on Saturday, testing the County defence with early runs.

However, it was the League Two side, winless since upsetting Championship Huddersfield in the first round, who took a shock lead when Dutch winger Genaro Snijders's curling effort from 25 yards beat Mark Bunn to stun the home crowd.

Buoyed by the goal, the Magpies came close to doubling their advantage just minutes later when debutant Izale McLeod fired inches wide after linking up with Jon Stead.

Villa finally seemed to wake up following that scare, and moments after Scott Sinclair thought he should have had a penalty the Premier League side found an equaliser.

The away side gave the ball away in midfield and Jack Grealish, who scored five goals in 38 games in a loan spell at County in 2013-14, jinked through the defence and slipped in Traore to tap home on his first start for Tim Sherwood's side.

The leveller got Villa's tails up, and Roy Carroll had to be alert to prevent Jordan Ayew's low drive from putting the home side in front after the Ghanaian had cut inside.

They were given another warning, however, when former Villan Graham Burke was allowed to run through the defence and get a shot on goal, with Bunn doing well to get down low to prevent County from retaking the lead.

Villa did fall behind again on the stroke of half time when Bunn brought down McLeod and Stead converted from the spot to ensure an upset was on the cards at the interval.