REFLECTING on the plethora of Reading matches shown live on television this year, Marcus Hahnemann, their American goalkeeper, mused that it was because the heads of programming wanted the cameras to be present to see the end of their long unbeaten league record. A bit like rubberneckers at a car crash, perhaps.

If Hahnemann was right, the powers that be got their wish last night. Reading lost for the first time in 34 matches in the Coca-Cola Championship to a spirited Luton Town side at Kenilworth Road.

Although they played poorly and barely deserved a draw, they retain a 12-point lead over Sheffield United at the top. Promotion should still be achieved but at least the chasers have been given hope.

As James Harper, the Reading midfield player, trudged off the pitch, the last player to leave, he will have already been formulating a positive response in their next game. It had better be good. They play Preston North End, who now own the longest unbeaten run in the division with 22 games.

If Harper appeared downcast, Steve Coppell, the Reading manager, was quick to issue a rallying call. “Losing the unbeaten run means nothing to me,” he said. “I’m just disappointed that we lost a game. The significance of the result will only be determined at the end of the season.

“Maybe our defeat will give encouragement to the others. Maybe it is a smack in the face for us. What did I say to the players? I said that we had just lost a game. Put it this way, I didn’t need a speech from the trenches. But, yes, it hurts.”

Reading took only 18 seconds to take the lead. Brynjar Gunnarsson moved the ball swiftly through midfield, Bobby Convey helped it on and Kevin Doyle took full advantage of an error by Leon Barnett. His finish was lethal.

That should have provided the platform for Reading to extend their unbeaten sequence, but they grew lazy. They missed the authority of Steve Sidwell and penetration of Glen Little, who were injured, and began to look fragile in defence, one of their strengths.

Luton equalised in the twentieth minute, when Rowan Vine exchanged passes with Kevin Foley and drove a low shot past Hahnemann. Five minutes later, Vine tucked in a cross from Carlos Edwards for his fourth goal in two matches. Arriving late at the ground, for which he will be fined by his team-mates, after becoming delayed in traffic had not affected his sharpness.

Dean Morgan, the former Reading striker, punished more slack marking early in the second half and although Luton panicked towards the end, when realising how close they were to winning, they conceded only once more when Doyle headed his fifteenth goal of the season at the near post.

Coppell again tried to emphasise the bigger picture. “Footballers thrive on winning and, when they get beaten, it feels like a kick in the groin,” he said. “But they will be bright and perky when they’re next in to training. They’re not going to hang themselves.”

LUTON TOWN (4-4-2): M Beresford — C Edwards, L Barnett, M Heikkinen, S Davis (sub: P Holmes, 82min) — A Brkovic, K Nicholls, K Foley, D Morgan (sub: E Showunmi, 83) — S Howard, R Vine (sub: W Feeney, 81). Substitutes not used: R Perrett, D Brill. Booked: Vine, Beresford.

READING (4-4-2): M Hahnemann — G Murty, I Sonko, I Ingimarsson, N Shorey — J Oster (sub: L Lita, 80), B Gunnarsson, J Harper, R Convey (sub: S Hunt, 64) — D Kitson, K Doyle. Substitutes not used: J Halls, G Stack, C Makin. Booked: Doyle, Kitson, Oster, Shorey.

Referee: K Wright.