Both fielded depleted sides and there was little atmosphere in front of a crowd of just under 7,000 – Reading's lowest of the season.
The only high spot was when John Oster became the tenth player to score for Reading this season with the winner ten minutes from time.
He took a free-kick 30 yards out on the left and sent a long ball deep into the Luton goalmouth. Leroy Lita came racing in but failed to connect and the ball ran straight into the net past Luton's bemused 19-year-old keeper Dean Brill.
It was Reading's first shot on target in the entire game.
Earlier Luton looked more likely to score with former Reading winger Dean Morgan causing problems for his former team-mates.
He twice tested Marcus Hahnemann with shots either side of the post then sent a third effort just over the American keeper's crossbar.
Luton's Warren Feeney did put the ball into the Reading net but had clearly been give offside earlier in the build up.
The miss of the game came 19 minutes from the end when Steven Howard got on to the end of Feeney's pass only to stab the ball wide from six yards out.
The game looked like meandering into extra time until Reading won a free-kick out on the left.
Oster and Steve Hunt lined up alongside each other and discussed tactics. Their conversation must have confused the Luton defence who stood and watched as Oster's effort bounced past them all into the net.
Five minutes from time Reading gave a debut to young striker Simon Cox, a member of their youth setup since he was 11 years old.