Watford slowed Reading's march towards the Premiership as they became the only team this season to shut the Royals out twice. But this goalless draw, coupled with Leeds United's draw at home to Norwich City, means the Royals now need only eight more points to guarantee promotion.
The point moved Watford to within six points of Sheffield United in the automatic promotion places and saw the Golden Boys become the first team since Leeds United back in October to take a point at the Madejski Stadium.
Prior to kick-off there was a surprise in Aidy Boothroyd's team selection, Marlon King benched in favour of the returning Darius Henderson. Two other changes from a week ago saw Anthony McNamee start in place of the now injured Hameur Bouazza and American, Jay DeMerit preferred in a tight call ahead of the unlucky Clarke Carlise.
On a crisp greying afternoon Reading had the first real chance to break the deadlock in a tight game when John Oster pounced on a loose pass by Matt Spring and teed up Dave Kitson for a shot that was blocked by DeMerit.
Two minutes later, Kevin Doyle was denied a shot at goal by some rugged last-ditch defending by the immaculate Malky Mackay and Bobby Convey hooked a shot over the bar after DeMerit and Chris Eagles reacted quickly to close him down from Dave Kitson's flick.
But the visitor's direct style brought them their fair share of chances, Spring wasting the best of them when he fired over after Reading keeper Marcus Hahnemann had flapped at Eagles' cross.
Kitson should have broken the deadlock 13 minutes before half-time when Doyle flicked on Hahnemann's long punt and raced past the Hornets' rearguard, but the striker delayed his shot and eventually blazed over the bar.
And the hosts were within a whisker of breaking the deadlock soon after when Kitson flicked on Convey's cross and Ibrahima Sonko's bundled effort at the far post was hooked from underneath his own crossbar by Mackay.
Watford raced straight to the other end and looked destined to score when McNamee's run and cross was half cleared into the path of Ashley Young, only for Nicky Shorey to bravely dive in and block his shot.
Then, in first-half stoppage time, Kitson's half-volley went through the legs of keeper Ben Foster and fell for Doyle, whose shot from the angle was brilliantly blocked on the line by Lloyd Doyley.
The second half saw the introduction of King for McNamee, but the game produced even fewer openings as defences dominated.
Spring's foul on Doyle 15 minutes from time offered Shorey the chance to break the deadlock, but the full-back hooked his free-kick over the bar from just outside the area.
And as the game entered stoppage time, Doyle beat the offside trap and rolled the ball invitingly across goal only for substitute Stephen Hunt to arrive slightly too late to get in a shot.
Watford battled manfully to fashion an opening and as the seconds ebbed away King broke free and hit a low shot that was gathered by Hahnemann.
So a point apiece and equality, just reward for a professional job well done by the Golden Boys, which after clearing up the King selection mystery, was not lost on Boothroyd when interviewed afterwards,
"Marlon had a slight hamstring injury and wasn't feeling too well," he said.
"We have so many important games coming up, that I did not want to take the chance of playing Marlon and risk him picking up a serious injury.
"We were excellent at the back. We were hanging on in the first half but in the second we could have nicked a goal."
Golden Boys man of the match: Lloyd Doyley