Half-time: QPR 1 Charlton Athletic 0

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Charlie Austin’s cracking goal lit up what had been a lacklustre first half at Loftus Road.

The QPR forward struck five minutes before the break, hitting the corner of the net with a glorious 30-yard shot – his eighth goal of the season.

Rangers had plenty of possession early on, with Niko Kranjcar firing over the Charlton bar before Addicks keeper Ben Hamer saved low shots from Austin and Gary O’Neil.

And Hamer dived to his right to keep out Matt Phillips’ 20-yarder just after the half-hour mark.

Highly-rated midfielder Jordan Cousins tested R’s keeper Rob Green with a long-range effort shortly before Austin opened the scoring in emphatic fashion.

Rangers are without winger Junior Hoilett, who failed a fitness test on an ongoing hamstring problem, but Jermaine Jenas was passed fit following a similar injury.

Defender Luke Young, whose hip condition means he has not played for the first team since March 2012, was named among the substitutes.

QPR (4-4-1-1): Green; Simpson, Dunne, Hill, Assou-Ekotto; Phillips, Barton, Jenas, Kranjcar; O’Neil; Austin.
Subs: Murphy, Traore, Johnson, Wright-Phillips, Onyemu, Henry, Young.

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