Town maintained their 100 per cent winning start to the season and will face Manchester United in the next round after Jordan Clark scored the only goal of the game midway through the first-half.
Nathan Jones made nine changes from Saturday’s victory against Barnsley in the Sky Bet Championship opener, with Sonny Bradley and Rhys Norrington-Davies the two remaining in the line-up.
The Hatters kept Reading’s Luke Southwood occupied during the opening exchanges, forcing him into a number of stops, including a top save to deny Danny Hylton, who directed James Bree’s perfect cross low to the right, but the goalkeeper got down well to deny the forward.
Town, however, got their deserved breakthrough in the 24th minute, taking the front through Clark on his first competitive start for the club. Rhys Norrington-Davies played a lofted cross into the box and the former Accrington Stanley man directed a brilliant looping header into the far corner.
It was more of the same in the second half as the Hatters maintained control of proceedings.
During the opening minutes of the second period Tom McIntyre sliced Andrew Shinnie’s cross narrowly wide of the post, the Reading defender inadvertently close to giving the Hatters a two-goal advantage.
Town’s best attacks were largely forged by James Bree, who produced a number of dangerous crosses and free-kicks, including one in the 64th minute where Hylton connected once more with a header but he saw his effort loop just wide.
Reading’s first shot on target came through Sam Baldock in the 71st minute but his tame effort following Dejan Tetek’s run was saved easily by James Shea.
Their best chance came shortly after as Sone Aluko sent a deep free-kick into the box towards Tom Holmes at the far post, but the centre-half’s header went right across the face of goal and Hylton managed to steer it behind for a corner.
Whilst Shinnie and Moncur later tested from distance, Town held their nerve during added time to book their place in the next round of the Carabao Cup.
Reading: Southwood, Watson, Bristow, McIntyre, Holmes, Araruna, Tetek, Aluko (Abbey 89), McNulty (Sackey 70), Baldock (C), Puscas (Melvin-Lambert 85).
Subs not used: Walker, East, Pendlebury, Ajose.
Town: Shea, Bree (Kioso 85), Lockyer (Cranie 90+3), Bradley (C), Norrington-Davies; Tunnicliffe, Moncur, Shinnie; LuaLua (Lee 72), Clark, Hylton.
Subs not used: Sluga, Cornick, Rea, Collins.
Goals: Clark (24)
Yellows: LuaLua, Bradley
Referee: Charles Breakspear
