Charlton Athletic vs Queens Park Rangers. Sky Bet Championship.
The ValleyAttendance19,469.
Monday 10 August 2015 15:25, UK
Charlton pair Tony Watt and Morgan Fox ensured QPR crashed to a 2-0 defeat on their return to the Sky Bet Championship.
The visitors, relegated from the Premier League, found life difficult back in the second tier and were outwitted in their opening-day London derby.
Substitute Watt made an instant impact by scoring just seven minutes following his introduction at the start of the second half. And Fox scored his first Addicks goal to kill off QPR for good on a poor afternoon for Chris Ramsey's side at The Valley.
There were eights debutants on show - four for each side - but one standout name at QPR remained in Charlie Austin.
The striker could make a move back to the Premier League this month, as he continues to be linked with various top-flight clubs.
Austin served notice that he will be a major threat at this level when he shrugged off Alou Diarra before firing just wide in the ninth minute.
Austin sent another warning out moments later when his deflected shot beat Nick Pope but not the Charlton goalkeeper's right-hand post.
A new-look Charlton side remain a work in progress and that showed in the early exchanges. They initially relied too heavily on the long ball to giant Denmark striker Simon Makienok, who stands at 6ft 7ins, and the final ball often let them down in the first half.
It was QPR who looked the far more likely to open their account. Tjaronn Chery curled a free-kick wide but he went the closest of anyone before the break to breaking the deadlock in the 38th minute.
The Dutch midfielder found room to drive a 25-yard shot that forced Pope into an acrobatic save to keep the scores level.
Another player tipped for a Premier League return is Matt Phillips. The QPR winger almost struck inside the opening minutes of the second half as his shot was palmed out by Pope.
It was all QPR but Charlton took the lead against the run of play via Watt in the 52nd minute.
The Scottish striker stepped inside and his low shot had sufficient power to sneak past goalkeeper Rob Green at his near post.
QPR were rattled by conceding such a soft goal and they were fortunate not to fall further behind in the 65th minute when an unmarked Patrick Bauer headed over.
Watt then saw a penalty appeal waved away after Karl Henry appeared to haul the Scot down.
But Charlton extended their lead in the 72nd minute when Fox thumped home from long range.
The left-back was given space before he drilling past a helpless Green. QPR knew the game was up and replacing the jaded Austin late on suggested they had given up the ghost.
There was still time for Charlton winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson to rattle the crossbar with a late free-kick as hosts cruised home.
"It was the perfect start. The first game, a London derby. It was great for our team and great for our supporters. Some players made their debut in the Championship and they played well. QPR are a good team that played last season in the Premier League."
"It's disappointing as we started very well. We didn't take the chances we created, which will come back to bite you as time goes on. It was difficult to claw back the momentum."
