Charlton scored a late, late goal to snatch a point at Loftus Road on Saturday.

Goals from Geoff Cameron and Marc Pugh had twice given QPR the lead, but Lyle Taylor and Naby Sarr – on his 100th appearance for the club – gave the Addicks a share of the spoils.

The goal coming so late made it feel like a win – but it is now eleven games since Charlton tasted victory. The Addicks picked up yet another injury – Jonathan Leko limped off early on. The knock will sideline him until the New Year, and further reduce Lee Bowyer’s options over the festive period.

Bowyer made another substitution in the first half-hour. He decided a tactical switch was needed to stem the tide, so he brought Jason Pearce on and went with three central defenders. Ben Purrington was the man to make way.

Taylor and Alfie Doughty returned to the starting line-up, though Taylor told fans he was unwell as he got off the coach. Charlton went behind after just six minutes, and again a set piece was their undoing. They failed to deal with a ball into the box, and Cameron was on hand to smack it home from close range.

The Hoops threatened to run riot in the early stages, and it was not until Bowyer made his tactical switch that the visitors got a foothold in the game.
During the early exchanges the hosts hit the bar, and ‎were nearly gifted a second, when Purrington’s under hit back pass sent Wells racing clear with just Dillon Phillips to beat. 

Fortunately for the Addicks the keeper was on his mettle and made a terrific save.‎ 

Bowyer’s team were much improved after the break and restored parity after 57 minutes. Rangers failed to deal with a corner, and the ball came to Albie Morgan on the edge of the box. The midfielder blasted the ball towards goal, and Taylor was on hand to divert it into the net.

Twenty minutes from time, Rangers restored their lead when Pugh tapped in from close range.

Charlton threw everything at Rangers and got their reward in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Phillips’ long, diagonal free-kick skimmed off a defender’s head and fell kindly for Sarr. The big defender kept his composure to finish well with his weaker right foot.

Cue wild celebrations on the pitch and absolute bedlam amongst the travelling fans behind the goal. After losing out to a couple of late strikes recently, this redressed the balance a bit. 

Bowyer thought a point was the least his side deserved, and said this after the match:

“It may be that change of luck. For the ball to fall to Naby a couple of things went our way – they should probably have cleared it and it ended up going into Naby’s path.

“Hopefully that’s the bit of luck that we needed and things start going our way because of late there’s a lot of things not been going our way.

“It was the least we deserved. We created a hell of a lot of chances and on another day we should win the game comfortably.

“If we’d have lost this game it would have been another tough one to take.”

QPR: Lumley; Kane, Hall, Leistner, Manning; Cameron, Amos (Scowen 78), Eze, Pugh (Chair 78); Wells (Osayi-Samuel 67), Hugill. ‎

Subs (not used): Barnes, Wallace, Smith, Ball.

Goals: Cameron 6, Pugh 70.‎

Charlton: Phillips; Matthews, Lockyer, Sarr, Purrington (Pearce 27); Pratley, Gallagher, Doughty (Oshilaja 88), Leko (Morgan 12); Taylor, Bonne

Subs (not used): Maynard-Brewer, Solly, Ledley, Dempsey‎.

Goals: Taylor 57, Sarr 90.

Referee: Matt Donohue (Manchester)

Attendance: 16,166 (2,787 Charlton)