Tom Holmes’ magnificent bicycle kick wasn’t enough to give Reading three points as Hull City hit back to take a point.
Holmes put the Royals in front with the final play of the first-half with an outstanding piece of quick thinking and athleticism.
The Tigers replied early in the second-half as goalkeeper Luke Southwood spilt Mallik Wilks’ long shot into his net.
Neither side could snatch a winner, with the points shared which keeps Reading one place and five points outside the relegation zone in 21st.
Veljko Paunovic named the same starting eleven from Reading’s 3-2 away win at Swansea City last weekend as Andy Yiadom was again given the captain’s armband in the absence of Liam Moore.
Hull City had the first chance to pump the ball into the box with a free-kick wide on the right.
The cross came to the back post towards Richie Smallwood who had the first effort on goal that was pushed behind by Luke Southwood for an early Hull corner, but the keeper dealt with the set-piece comfortably.
Reading’s first chance came when Baba Rahman burst into the box, cut the ball back into the path of Andy Carroll but the forward missed his kick.
Hull broke down the other end and had the ball in the net courtesy of Josh Magennis only to be denied by the offside flag that was raised in advance of the finish.
The best chance of the half fell to John Swift when he intercepted a loose pass and sprinted through on goal.
One-on-one with Hull goalkeeper Nathan Baxter. Swift opened up his body to try and guide the ball into the far corner but had his shot blocked by the body of the keeper as the chance went begging.
Reading came into lift after that chance when Tom Dele-Bashiru hit a thunderous shot from 20 yards that was tipped over the bar by Baxter.
Dele-Bashiru’s next try at goal was well off target however, despite some promising link up play with Baba Rahman on the left.
A chance then came the way of the visitors when a corner bounced across the Reading box dangerously and fell at the feet of Mallik Wilks, but he skied his shot high over the bar from six yards out.
There was almost a calamoatious moment in defence for the Royals when Southwood had to come to Tom Holmes’ rescue to turn his attempted clearance behind to prevent an own goal.
But Paunovic’s team made the ideal end to the first 45 as they snatched the lead with the last play of the half.
Holmes got on the end of a knockdown from a corner and provided a stunning acrobatic finish on the volley with a bicycle kick from close range that crashed into the Tigers’ net.
Reading made a change at the break as Yiadom picked up a knock and had to be replaced by Dejan Tetek.
Early into the second-half, Hull found themselves on level terms after a long drive from distance from Wilks found its way in after Southwood could only parry the ball into the net.
Panovic made his second change immediately after the equaliser as Femi Azeez came on to replace Halilovic.
Carroll came close to restoring the Royals’ lead. The ball dropped to the feet of the striker who took a touch to set himself but his shot arrowed narrowly over the bar.
The hosts had a big appeal for a penalty turned down when Swift went to ground in the box under a challenge, but the referee was not interested in the protests for a spot kick.
Another chance fell the way of Carroll in the box when the bouncing ball came into his path but his left foot swipe went high and wide.
With less than 10 minutes to play, Reading had a huge shout for a penalty when Carroll’s header struck the arm of a raised hand from a Hull defender, but again the referee was not interested in the appeals.
The Royals pushed harder to try and find a winner to take all three points but they couldn’t find a way past in the second-half and had to settle for a point.
Reading are away at third placed West Bromwich Albion next Saturday.
Reading: Southwood, Rahman, Holmes, Dann, Yiadom (c), Laurent, Drinkwater, Dele-Bashiru, Swift, Halilovic, Carroll
Subs: Tetek, Azeez, Abrefa, Rafael, Camara, Ashcroft, Puscas
Hull City: Baxter, Bernard, McLoughlin, Greaves, Lewis-Potter, Smallwood, Docherty, Longman, Honeyman, Wilks Magennis
Subs: Elder, Moncour, Huddlestone, Smith, Ingram, Williams, Cannon
Goals: Holmes 45+1’, Wilks 55′
