QPR put Charlton through the hoops

Charlton went down 3-1 to a resurgent QPR at Loftus Road today.   QPR went ahead early doors, but Charlton managed to equalise in the second half.   For a while they were in the ascendancy but QPR went ahead again.   Exposed at the back as they tried for an equaliser, the Addicks went 3-1 down in time added on.

QPR started with real intent and were soon 1-0 up. Paul Smyth scored against his former club from Vale's cross - Kone with a dummy to allow the ball to run for the winger.    Richard Caswley commented, ‘Kaminski has got to be doing better with that, is my first thought. Goes with his legs to try and keep it out.’

The Addicks improved in the final 20-25 minutes of the first period with Leaburn striking the top of the crossbar. But Cawley noted an all too familiar story, a lack of quality in the final third, including most of the crosses put in. Scare right at the end of the half with Norrington-Davies' header clipping the outside of the post but looked like Kaminski had it covered.

Charlton equalised after Campbell put in a deep cross but Apter's shot struck the ball down into the turf and the bounce takes it past the QPR keeper Walsh.   It was Apter’s first goal for the club.

QPR went ahead again after their Japanese midfielder Saito had come off the bench.  His body swerve took him away from Jones.   The low shot creept into bottom right corner of the net.    It might well have got a slight nick off the two Charlton  defenders who slid in to try and block.

For the third goal, Kaminski started to come for the ball, then decided against it. Kone punished that indecision, slid the ball into the net for his second goal since signing from Wycombe.

Nathan Jones was clearly not happy at full-time.  The shell shocked supremo marched straight on to the pitch to talk to referee Andrew Kitchen.   As usual, some of the officiating was questionable with the lino oddly failing to assist the referee on one key decision although had the clearer view.

Nathan Jones was unhappy about the fact Mbengue not given a second yellow for his foul on Kelman when the score was 1-1. The Charlton boss says that referee told him it wasn't penalised further due to the attack "not being in a promising position".

But the simple fact is that Charlton were outplayed, a verdict being echoed by the keyboard warriors.  One fan has already told the BBC that Jones's position must be 'under consideration'.   This is the usual silly nonsense one gets from some fans, but there is case for saying that Charlton should have hung on for the away point in front of a home crowd that was getting restive rather than trying to get all three.