Royals were bidding to follow up last weekend's win at Norwich City with victory over the Trotters at Madejski Stadium.

But Neil Lennon's rejuvenated visitors proved impossible to break down and left Berkshire with a deserved point.

Bolton also benefited from some sloppy finishing by Nigel Adkins' hosts who had a poor day in front of goal.

What a difference a year makes. Last season Royals romped to a 7-1 victory in the same fixture. On this occasion, they were far too wasteful in the opposition's box.

Adkins will no doubt see the result as two points dropped, whereas jubilant Trotters fans celebrated another step towards in their recovery after a dreadful start to the campaign.

Adkins resisted temptation to recall Alex Pearce after his one-match ban and stuck with two-goal Carrow Road hero Jake Cooper in an unchanged starting line-up.

Royals boss' also warned of the threat a rapidly improving Trotters would offer under new boss Lennon.

But it was Royals who threatened first with the same corner-kick routine that delivered both goals at Norwich City.

This time Jordan Obita delivered from the right, Michael Hector flicked it on but Glenn Murray's header flew over the bar.

But clear-cut chances were few and far between for either side in the first half.

Obita's cross from the left did cause problems, but Dorian Dervite cleared for a corner under pressure from Murray.

The on 29 minutes Garath McCleary dummied onto his left and saw a shot blocked when he should have hit it with his right from the edge of the box.

Royals' Oliver Norwood also sent a free-kick over Andy Lonergan's crossbar, but there was little of the way of goalmouth action.

Then Bolton engineered their first opening when Davies' tame header was held by Federici after Cooper did just enough to put off the Trotters' striker.

Reading, though, should have taken the lead four minutes before the break.

Obita's trickery forced a corner, Norwood delivered, the ball was flicked on to Murray who looked certain to score from six yards out.

But the striker's snap-shot struck McCleary on the line before Hector's follow-up was blocked by a Bolton defender during the ensuing scramble.

Minutes later Norwood also threatened when he ran onto a McCleary corner, but again Bolton managed to block the shot.

Royals finished the first half on top but they were fortunate not to concede three minutes after the restart.

Dervite diverted a corner to the back post where Bolton full-back Tim Ream was totally unmarked. But his header towards the opposite corner was superbly clawed away by Federici at full stretch.

It was a breathtaking save and Reading almost capitalised within minutes when Hector flashed a header narrowly wide from Obita's corner.

Then the same Reading player screwed a shot narrowly wide from the edge of the area from another flag-kick.

Adkins men began to pound away at Bolton's defence, but they just couldn't put the ball in the net.

Again, they caused havoc at set pieces and on 55 minutes Cooper's header was tipped over by Lonergan. From that corner, Hector sent a header wide from 10 yards out.

But the home side did not have it all their own way and another collective sigh of relief echoed around the Madejski Stadium on the hour mark when Darren Pratley found himself with only Federici to beat, but managed to drag his shot wide.

It led to Trotters' best spell in the match and it required a fantastic block from Stephen Kelly to deny substitute Conor Wilkinson a clear shot at goal.

Reading rode out the storm and almost broke the deadlock on the 80 minute mark when Lonergan made a brilliant one-handed save to keep out a Danny Williams piledriver from 25 yards out.

And Murray summed up the home side's day when he failed to keep a header on target from a Norwood corner with a minute to go.

Royals will take confidence from a clean sheet on the day, but they will have to be sharper in the final third if they are to climb up the Championship table.

Adkins' men remain 14th in the Championship table and travel to Birmingham City next Saturday (3pm ko).

Reading (4-4-1-1): Federici - Kelly, Cooper, Hector, Gunter (c) – McCleary (Blackman 78), Williams (Taylor 84), Norwood, Obita –-Robson-Kanu (Cox 68) - Murray. Subs not used: Andersen, Pearce, Cummings, Tshibola. Booked: Murray 74, Obita 83.

Bolton (4-4-2): Lonergan: Vela, Mills (c), Dervite, Ream – Feeney (Hall 90), Danns (Spearing 90), Pratley, Clayton – Lee C-Y, Davies (Wilkinson 57). Subs not used: Bogdan, Moxey, Mason, Wheater.

Referee: Keith Hill (Herts).

Attendance: 15,421.