Town's injury concerns rear their head again as Bradley and Lockyer are forced off in Royals stalemate

Luton were held to their sixth home draw of the season by Reading this evening, on a night where their defensive resources were stretched to the absolute limit.

The Hatters saw captain Sonny Bradley stretchered off in the first half with what looked like a serious ankle injury, before Tom Lockyer had to make way after the break due to a clash of heads with former Newcastle, Liverpool and England forward Andy Carroll.

That meant for the final half an hour, Town had a makeshift back three of James Bree, Dan Potts and Amari'i Bell, but to their credit, the trio managed to eke out a seventh clean sheet of the season and put another point on the board.

Home boss Nathan Jones made three changes from Saturday's draw with Sunderland, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu in for his first start since April with Harry Cornick and Bradley recalled, Carlton Morris dropping to the bench, Jordan Clark and Henri Lansbury missing out completely.

Town made a good start to the contest, Bree getting to the byline and finding Cornick, who could only manage to send his effort out for a throw-in.

Striker Elijah Adebayo looked like his appetite had been whetted by being the main man upfront, behind most of Luton's promising attacks early on, outpacing the visiting defence to a ball over the top, unable to beat Joe Lumley at his near post.

The Royals keeper then made another smart stop on 16 minutes when Adebayo cleverly combined with Alfie Doughty whose left-footer was well gathered after zipping off the turf.

However, Luton were then dealt another injury blow on the half hour as Bradley landed awkwardly when contesting a header and immediately signalled something was wrong, the skipper stretchered off and Luke Berry coming on.

The hosts were then almost the architects of their own downfall, Dan Potts selling Lockyer short and ex-Hatter Tom Ince finding Yakou Meite, who once scored four on this ground a few years ago, this time Ethan Horvath making a splendid save low to his right.

He might have been picking the ball out of his net just before half time when an unmarked Carroll met Junior Hoilett's cross at the back post, but the experienced frontman, who has made a career out of gobbling up those sorts of chances, fluffed his lines.

It was the same after the break, when Carroll got the run on Town's back-line to meet Ince's cross, only to be just as wasteful, diverting wide.

Referee John Brooks, who had already made a number of hugely questionable calls, particularly allowing Carroll's aerial nudges to go unpunished, carried on in such a manner after the break, the Premier League official roundly booed by an increasingly frustrated home crowd.

Luton's defensive woes worsened on the hour mark as after a clash of heads with that man Carroll, Lockyer tried manfully to carry on, but was on his haunches complaining of what looked like double vision, meaning his evening over.

Cameron Jerome took his place, with Luton's makeshift back three then setting up for the final 30 minutes to try and ensure they weren't breached.

While they got used to their new roles, the Royals continued to look the more likely, Jeff Hendrick arrowing narrowly wide from 25 yards midway through the half

Ince, who had looked a threat all evening, then almost had the opener in stunning style on 75 minutes, his well struck ambitious volley forcing Horvath to bat away.

Luton created their best chance of the half with four minutes left, Freeman not giving up in the centre and Jerome's knockdown volleyed narrowly over by Potts.

Reading might have won it too, Shane Long putting his close range header behind, Tyrese Fornah's 20-yarder arrowing over, with Hoillet's hopeful blast thankfully never testing Horvath.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, James Bree, Tom Lockyer (Cameron Jerome 60), Sonny Bradley (C Luke Berry 32), Dan Potts, Amari'i Bell, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Allan Campbell (Luke Freeman 78), Alfie Doughty, Harry Cornick, Elijah Adebayo (Carlton Morris 78).

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Louie Watson, Casey Pettit.

Royals: Joe Lumley, Andy Carroll, Tom Holmes, Jeff Hendrick, Tom Ince, Yakou Meite (Shane Long 72), Baba Rahman, Ovie Ejaria (Tyrese Fornah 58), Andy Yiadom (C), Junior Hoilett, Amadou Mbengue.

Subs not used: Lucas Joao, Nesta Guinness-Walker, Dean Bouzanis, Nelson Abbey, Jack Senga-Ngoyi.

Referee: John Brooks.

Booked: Campbell 23, Meite 69, Doughty 70, Yiadom 85, Carroll 87.

Attendance: 9,620 (926 Royals).