Despite creating the better chances - Leighton Baines hitting the crossbar with a free-kick and Tim Cahill missing a header from close range - it was the visitors who made the breakthrough. Tommy Smith converted QPR's only real chance of the game in the 31st minute to secure the Londoners' first points on their return to the top flight.
Moyes had to leave experienced players Mikel Arteta, Marouane Fellaini and Louis Saha on the bench because of a lack of fitness, and with no money to sign anyone in the summer Everton came up short. The Scot said: "It wasn't because QPR dominated the game and outplayed us, we had good chances to make better opportunities and didn't do so."
He added: "Tim missed a good one and we were a bit unlucky with Baines' free-kick.
"But if anyone is surprised and disappointed they shouldn't be because we have been saying for a year or two we could do with an injection of wide players and centre-forwards.
"We are disappointed we didn't win because I thought we should have gone on and got a result."
QPR boss Neil Warnock was delighted to get their first points on the board after last weekend's 4-0 home defeat to Bolton, especially after a virus within the squad had restricted his options.
"In a way the attitude we came up with epitomised the whole result," he said.
"I said to them 'Give me everything' and they fought for each other. I said 'Let's go and enjoy it' because I'd rather be pulling up at Goodison Park than some of the Championship clubs we were last year.
"It was a well-worked move for the goal and they showed we can compete in the Premier League. In the circumstances we've had in the last 24 hours to do what they did was quite amazing and I couldn't be prouder."
Source: PA
Source: PA