Flynn Clarke scored two second-half goals to keep Norwich City's hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Premier League Cup alive.
The Canaries went into the game knowing that only a victory would do ahead of a match with second placed Charlton Athletic in the final group game on February 14.
Under-23s coach Alan Neilson made three changes to the team that had lost to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League 2 on Friday night. Archie Mair replaced Dylan Berry in goal, Liam Gibbs came in for Joe Duffy in midfield and Jon Rowe, having recently made his debut for the first team, started up front instead of Oscar Thorn.
Reading started the match brightly and had a couple of chances to get into the Canaries box which were expertly cut out by Lewis Shipley. And it was the Canaries who had the first sight of goal when Tony Springett crossed from the left for Clarke to send a header into the side netting.
Moments later Abu Kamara teed up Jon Rowe with a shot from inside the box, but his fiercely struck drive was well saved by Harvey Collins at his near post.
However, following some pressure from Reading, Norwich hit the visitors on the counter and worked the ball superbly to Rowe on the left, who then cut into the area before pinging a shot off the far post and in.
The lead did not last long though as a good pass from Blesk Epkenyong found Jeremiah Okine-Peters in the area and he fired across Mair and into the far corner.
The rest of the half failed to muster any shots on target for either side and was even in terms of possession and territory.
Neilson made a couple of changes at the break bringing on Joe Duffy and Brad Hills for Rowe and Regan Riley.
The second half was slow to get going in terms of chances created as the Canaries controlled possession without troubling the Reading defence as promising attacks from Springett and Clarke were stopped by the linseman's flag.
However, Norwich gradually started to make their possession count as first Shipley headed a chance wide from a corner and then substitute Shae Hutchinson worked his way into the box before bringing a good block out of Collins.
Norwich continued to push forward and were rewarded with a second goal on 69 minutes. It came down the left from Springett who fed a perfectly-weighted pass into Clarke who was then able to place a first-time shot into the net from just inside the area.
After that point the home side looked to control possession and starve Reading of the ball. Tony Springett did have a chance to extend the lead with 15 minutes remaining but didn't connect with his back post volley well enough and his effort was off target.
Boyd Beacroft then had a header comfortably saved by Mair before Hutchinson brough another save out of Collins as the game became stretched in the final 10 minutes.
That then created the space for Clarke to make sure of the points with two minutes of normal time remaining as he fired home from eight yards out.
Norwich City: Mair; Giurgi, Shipley, Tomkinson (C), Warner, Shipley; Gibbs (Hutchinson, 60), Riley (Brooke, 46), Springett, Clarke; Kamara, Rowe (Duffy, 46).
Subs not used: Berry, Hills
Goals: Rowe (24), Clarke (69, 88)
Reading: Collins; Abdoul-Salam (Purcell, 10), Senga, Beacroft, Paul; Kanu, Furlong, Osorio, Okine-Peters; Epeknyong (Greaver, 77), Scott (Leavy, 56).
Subs not used: Norcott, Purcell.
Goals: Okine-Peters (29)
HT: 1-1
Venue: Lotus Training Centre