Charlie Austin's 40th-minute goal has given Queens Park Rangers a 1-0 half-time lead over Charlton Athletic.

QPR had the better of the first half, with Niko Kranjcar firing over the bar and Jermaine Jenas going close with a header from Danny Simpson's cross.

Ben Hamer had to be alert to parry away efforts from Austin and Joey Barton in quick succession, while Matt Phillips, who saw much of the ball in the first half, also tested the Charlton goalkeeper.

Charlton rarely ventured forward in the opening 45 minutes, but Jordan Cousins was denied by a good Robert Green save after 39 minutes.

Sixty seconds later, Austin picked the ball up on the halfway line and danced around Michael Morrison before firing the ball beyond Hamer into the top of the net to give QPR a slender lead at the break.