Queens Park Rangers 3 Charlton 1

Charlton fell to a 3-1 defeat at MATRADE Loftus Road after conceding two late goals against Queens Park Rangers.

The home side, looking to respond after a heavy defeat the previous weekend, struck first in the eighth minute through former Addick Paul Smyth. Charlton grew into the contest and equalised early in the second half when Rob Apter netted his first goal for the club. Nathan Jones’ side looked the more likely to go on and win the game, but late strikes from Koki Saito and Richard Kone sealed the points for QPR.

Jones named an unchanged starting XI from the side that narrowly lost to Leicester City last weekend.

QPR threatened early on, Kader Dembele failing to control a volley after linking up with Kone. A minute later, however, the hosts took the lead. Harvey Vale broke down the left and delivered a low cross which Kone cleverly dummied, allowing Smyth to finish first time past Thomas Kaminski.

Charlton responded well. In the 17th minute, Tyreece Campbell almost got on the end of Apter’s whipped cross from the right, only for Jimmy Dunne to intervene. Moments later, Kaminski was called into action at the other end, making a smart low save from Nicolas Madsen’s free-kick.

The Addicks began to dominate and were unlucky not to equalise when Miles Leaburn’s half-volley, meeting Josh Edwards’ excellent delivery, crashed against the crossbar. Leaburn then forced a save with a header from another Apter cross, while Sonny Carey’s effort was gathered comfortably by Joe Walsh. Just before the break, at the other end, Rhys Norrington-Davies headed against the post.

Charlton's equaliser arrived nine minutes after the restart. Campbell worked space on the left and delivered a deep cross which Apter met at the far post. His connection was not clean, but the ball found its way inside the far corner to the delight of the travelling fans.

With momentum firmly behind them, Charlton pushed for a second. Leaburn fired a half-volley just over the bar before Campbell tested Walsh with a fierce effort from a tight angle. The Addicks were also frustrated when QPR’s Amadou Mbengue, already booked, escaped a second yellow card after a foul on substitute Charlie Kelman.

But it was QPR who found the decisive goal with six minutes left. Winning the ball in Charlton territory, Saito weaved into the box and finished low across goal to restore the home side’s lead. Deep into stoppage time, with Charlton committing bodies forward, Kone broke clear to add a third.

Charlton now head into the international break before returning to action at The Valley against Millwall on Saturday, September 13th.

Queens Park Rangers: Walsh, Dunne (c), Morrison, Dembele (Saito 59), Smyth (Kolli 46), Norrington-Davies (Esquerdinha 69), Vale (Burrell 69), Kone, Madsen, Mbengue, Varane (Hayden 81)

Subs (not used): Nardi, Cook, Field, Morgan

Goals: Smyth 8, Saito 84, Kone 90+7

Assists: Vale 8, Esquerdinha 84, Burrell 90+7

Booked: Morrison 38 (foul on Campbell), Mbengue 65 (foul on Leaburn)

Charlton: Kaminski; Ramsay, Jones, Bell; Apter (Kelman 68), Coventry (Rankin-Costello 90+2), Carey (Knibbs 68), Docherty (c) (Olaofe 88), Edwards; Leaburn (Fullah 90+2), Campbell

Subs (not used): Maynard-Brewer, Gillesphey, Burke, Mwamba

Goal: Apter 54

Assist: Campbell 54

Booked: Coventry 17 (foul on Smyth), Edwards 78 (foul on Saito)

Referee: Andrew Kitchen