Wycombe Wanderers kick-started their season with a 7-6 win on penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time against Northampton Town in the first round of the Carabao Cup at Adams Park.

Adam El-Abd was the penalty hero, firing home the decisive spot kick after Yves Ma-Kalambay had saved Jordan Turnbull's penalty.

In a keenly fought contest, Randell Williams was the goalscorer for the Blues on 50 minutes, guiding home a fantastic header past Lewis Ward thanks to an excellent cross from Craig Mackail-Smith.

However, Wycombe conceded with eight minutes of normal time remaining when the ball found substitute Sam Hoskins in the box and he thumped home past Ma-Kalambay.

Just three minutes earlier, the Blues were indebted to Ma-Kalambay as he superbly saved Ash Taylor's penalty after Dominic Gape had fouled Jack Bridge inside the box.

Northampton had the first sniff of a chance in a lively game on five minutes when Billy Waters blazed over from 20 yards.

Wycombe created a chance of their own a minute later when Mackail-Smith turned on the edge of the box and let fly with a shot which Ward saved well.

The Cobblers looked a threat early on and Waters again had another crack from 20 yards on eight minutes which  Ma-Kalambay saved comfortably.

Wanderers almost took the lead on 19 minutes when Nick Freeman’s through ball found Mackail-Smith, who dinked the ball over Ward only for Shay Facey to clear off the line.

Sixty seconds later, Gape’s cross-shot was tipped onto the crossbar and over by Ward.

Wycombe were enjoying the upper hand but the Cobblers had a good chance to go ahead on 28 minutes when Bridge’s firm header was superbly saved by Ma-Kalambay.

Chances were flowing and Gape had a strike from 25 yards on 31 minutes which went wide of the target.

Freeman was next to have an attempt for the home side as he cut in from the left and drilled a low shot which was well held by Ward.

Gareth Ainsworth’s side were getting closer and Matt Bloomfield’s wicked cross on 36 minutes was just about scrambled away with Freeman lurking.

Ward produced another excellent stop on 41 minutes, denying Adam El-Abd’s fantastic header from going into the corner from Joe Jacobson’s corner.

Northampton made a bright start to the second half and Junior Morias had a good chance on 49 minutes when he got the better of El-Abd and flashed a shot just wide.

However, moments later, Williams scored his first goal of the season with a wonderful piece of play.

The confidence was now surging through the Chairboys as they began to pin the Cobblers back.

Dean Austin’s men were posing a problem from set pieces and Taylor should have done better on 58 minutes when he headed straight at Ma-Kalambay from Bridge’s corner.

Wycombe had a spring in the step going forward though and Michael Harriman’s powerful run and cut back found Williams on the hour, who saw his shot blocked.

Jason McCarthy came so close to finding the net on his ‘second’ debut for Wanderers, heading just wide of the far post.

Dean Bowditch had an ambitious effort for the visitors from 35 yards on 65 minutes and his shot whistled way over.

The game started to fizzle out a bit with chances becoming harder to come by approaching the last 20 minutes.

However, in the space of 180 seconds, the Cobblers had a penalty saved and then got the equaliser through Hoskins' expert finish.

McCarthy nearly grabbed a late winner for Wanderers on 85 minutes when his header was cleared off the line by Sam Foley.

The match then went to penalties which the Blues narrowly won to head into Saturday's home league match against Bristol Rovers with a win under their belts.

WYCOMBE WANDERERS: Ma-Kalambay, Harriman, Jombati (sub: Jacobson, 34), El-Abd, McCarthy, Gape, Thompson, Bloomfield (sub: Morris, 46), Freeman, Williams (sub: Kashket, 69), Mackail-Smith. Subs: Allsop, Bean, Saunders, Akinfenwa.

NORTHAMPTON TOWN: Ward, Facey, Barnett, Taylor, Foley, Morias (sub: Hoskins, 72), Bowditch, Turnbull, Bridge, Waters, Crooks. Subs: Coddington, Buchanan, Whaler, Roberts, Williams.

REFEREE: Stephen Martin

ATTENDANCE: 1,999