Luton Town 0-0 Reading: Draw sees Reading fall further adrift of play-off spots

Elijah Adebayo went close with an effort in the second half for Luton Town

Reading fell further adrift of the play-off places after a goalless draw at Luton Town.

The clearer chances of the game came Luton's way, with George Moncur denied the opportunity to win it late on by a smart save from Rafael, while Jordan Clark also volleyed narrowly wide in the first half.

Ovie Ejaria had a second-half shot deflected wide of goal, while John Swift's late direct free-kick was nearly spilled by Simon Sluga.

Reading's draw coupled with Barnsley's win at Huddersfield meant the gap between them in seventh and Barnsley in sixth was stretched to six points with three games to play.

Having led the division in the early stages of the season and been around the top six for the majority of the campaign, just one win in the past eight games has seen Veljko Paunovic's side drop out of promotion contention.

They were without leading scorer Lucas Joao after he dislocated his shoulder in the draw against Cardiff City on Friday and his replacement George Puscas was unable to provide the goals in his absence.

He missed the chance to get a shot away in the early stages when Ejaria's ball into the area bounced off his forearm.

Clear-cut chances were few and far between after that for both sides despite their best efforts.

Clark's volley just wide came when he latched on to Kal Naismith's diagonal ball, while Moncur could only turn away in disbelief late on when Rafael somehow kept out his powerful shot.

The Hatters are unbeaten in their past three but could not win three league games in a row in a single season for the first time since February 2019.

Reading manager Veljko Paunovic told BBC Radio Berkshire:

"It feels like a loss and things are becoming harder now, but not impossible.

"We'll keep fighting and keep tuned-in as we always know how things can go in football and we have to be ready if the opportunities develop for us in the next game.

"We're missing final product and we have to know at this stage of the season that when chances come, they might be difficult, but we have to make them happen and convert them.

"Being clinical is what we've been missing over the past month but hopefully we can recover next up."