QPR boss Mark Warburton admitted a second-half miss by Ilias Chair at Wigan proved costly.
Rangers lost 1-0 at the DW Stadium - their fourth defeat in five matches since the season resumed.
They struggled to create clear-cut chances and Chair was unable to capitalise when one came his way.
Olamide Shodipo, who was lively after coming on as a substitute, raced down the right and laid the ball across to Chair, who could not find a way past keeper David Marshall.
It was by far Rangers’ best chance to equalise.
Warburton said: “We have to score. You can’t miss from four yards out, basically in the middle of the goal. We can’t miss those chances.
“If you look at the stats this season, I think for a long time we were second or third in terms of chances created.
“There’s been no problem this season in terms of creating chances. We have been guilty in terms of missing them - many of them gilt edged chances.
“We’ve got some very young players, but you’ve got to score. Tonight it was Ilias. But we’ve been guilty all season of it.
“When it happens in Under-23s football there’s no consequence. Youth-team football, no consequence. This (first-team football) is the only way they learn.
“When that chance comes to Ilias, put it in the back of the net tonight and then there’s 25 minutes to play.
“He was guilty tonight, but many have been this season.”
Rangers improved slightly after the interval, having been very poor in the first half.
They missed Jordan Hugill, who was sidelined after injuring his hamstring while scoring the winner at Middlesbrough on Sunday.
“In the second half I thought we were much better,” Warburton said.
“The two substitutes (Shodipo and Jack Clarke) made a difference. But we have to score.
“If it had been 1-1 we could have taken control of the second half and been in a good position. You’ve got to take your chances.”