In stark contrast to the state of The Valley pitch for the Leeds game, Rangers had the sprinklers on prior to kick-off and again at half-time.
Chris Powell opted to match up Harry Redknapp’s 4-5-1 shape, with Bradley Pritchard replacing Callum Harriott, from the team that started the Leeds game.
Yann Kermorgant was again on the bench, where he was joined by fit again Richard Wood.
Rangers have been winning games without scoring many goals. The defensive rock formed by Clint Hill and Richard Dunne has been the bedrock of the Hoops success.
They move the ball quickly and crisply but Charlie Austin is the lone man up front and many sides limit his chances. What they can not legislate for though, is the kind of strike that won this game.
Five minutes before the break, Austin unleashed a thirty yard thunderbolt that flew in past Hamer’s left hand.
Church and Stephens had chances before that and Hamer was called upon to make a good stop by his right-hand post to foil the mercurial Matty Phillips but would have rankled with Powell was Austin’s strike came just seconds after Jordan Cousins had a ferocious effort beaten out by Robert Green.
Kermorgant replaced Simon Church just before the hour mark and quickly made an impression. He nodded a cross from the right down to Dale Stephens, who blasted his effort high into the upper tier of the stand housing the Charlton fans.
Rangers are a classy outfit at this level and the Addicks certainly made a game of it.
Next up for Powell’s troops is the rearranged game with Doncaster at The Valley on Tuesday evening, the game is one that Charlton desperately need to win.
Charlton: Hamer; Wilson, Morrison, Devite, Wiggins; Pritchard (Harriott 58), Stephens, Cousins, Jackson, Stewart (Sordell 87); Church (Kermorgant 58).
Subs (not used): Alnwick, Hughes, Evina, Wood.
Booked: Jackson 90 (foul).
QPR: Green; Simpson, Dunne, Hill, Assou-Ekotto; Phillips (Johnson 77), O’Neil, Barton, Jenas (Henry 45), Kranjcar (Wright-Phillips 65); Austin.
Subs (not used): Murphy, Traore, Onyewu, Young.
Booked: Barton 86 (foul).
Referee: Dean Whitesone (Surrey).
Attendance: 17,397 ( 1,820 Charlton).