In a frantic opening, 15 minutes had elapsed before either side were able to fashion a chance on goal. Angelo Balanta should have done better in the box but had the ball stolen off his toes by Tom Wynter, as he shaped to shoot from five yards out.
At the opposite end, Mark Bentley climbed above the visitors defence but drove his header straight into the arms of a grateful Shane McWeeney. The Rangers custodian was equally untroubled by long range efforts from Palmer and Walker.
40 minutes had passed before Simon Royce was called into action, diving to his right to push Joe Oastler's drive from distance around the post. Gillingham did find the net shortly before the interval, Walker playing in trialist Kieren Joseph to finish under the advancing keeper but the goal was ruled offside.
Shortly after the restart Q.P.R. took the lead as Danny Davenport found the net with a low drilled shot from the edge of the area.
Rangers were unlucky not to double their advantage on 58 minutes as Josh Parker rounded Royce and crossed for Rose at the far post but his flicked finish fizzed across goal before bouncing the wrong side of the back post.
The visitors made it two in the 68th minute, Royce's place kick falling straight to Rose who played in Josh Parker to slot past the stranded Gills keeper.
Rare openings for the Gills saw Palmer test McWeeney with a cross-come-shot to the near post while Joseph blazed over the crossbar with a speculative shot from 25-yards.
In the 82nd minute, Bentley sent substitute Cumbers clear on the right of goal, the young striker fired in a strong shot only to see the R's keeper push it to safety.
Gillingham: Simon Royce, Jack Payne, Chris Palmer, Callum Davies, Tom Wynter, Sam Fisher (Jack Evans 46), Mark Bentley, Kevin Maher, James Walker (Luis Cumbers 69), Rashid Yussuff, Kieren Joseph.
Subs not used: Daran Hawkes, Tom Brunt, Ryan Benniman.
Q.P.R: Shane McWeeney, Moritz Volz, Aaron Waters, Joe Oastler (Max Ehmer 83), Luke Olley, Lee Brown, Matteo Alberti (Sam Bewick 75), Danny Davenport (Jordan Hibbert 63), Romone Rose, Josh Parker, Angelo Balanta.
Sub not used: Elvijs Putnins.
