Burnley kept another clean sheet to end Reading's unbeaten home league record and knock the Royals off the top of the table.
Steve Cotterill's side have now scored one and conceded one in six Championship games away from home so that they now boast the tightest defence in the division having conceded just seven all season.
Those statistics rarely looked like being altered throughout a frustrating game, though Reading did their best to batter down the Burnley wall of resistance.
Reading's top scorer Dave Kitson had an early chance to add to his tally of seven goals for the season when he beat the Burnley offside trap and spun away from Frank Sinclair, only for the defender to recover and deflect his shot for a corner.
Busy Kitson then also powered a header straight at goalkeeper Danny Coyne following a James Harper corner and sent a long-range drive inches wide after escaping shouts for a handball.
Burnley's prime tactic seemed to be tempting Graeme Murty out of position and then counter attacking behind the right-back and it was a ploy that offered promise.
Robbie Blake blazed wide as he aimed to cash in on a slip by the disappointing Ibrahima Sonko, making his first league start for the Royals.
And only a timely tackle by Ivar Ingimarsson denied Blake a shot at goal after a mazy run by Mo Camara down the left wing.
Another Sonko slip early in the second half nearly let in Blake again, but Reading continued to enjoy the better chances as they began to increase the pressure on the resolute Burnley back four.
Nicky Forster saw a stinging low shot saved by the legs of Coyne and Sonko saw a free-kick from a header deflect just wide.
Reading boss Steve Coppell was determined to secure the victory that would have preserved Reading's 100 per cent home league record and their lead at the top of the table and he made three positive attacking changes.
Shaun Goater replaced Forster up front, while wingers Andy Hughes and Paul Brooker were replaced by American international Bobby Convey and former Burnley man Glen Little.
They finally got the ball in the net with six minutes left, but Kitson clearly used a hand to beat Coyne to the ball and only secured a booking for his efforts.
At the other end, Ian Moore saw a low shot beaten out by Marcus Hahnemann and Graham Branch flashed a header wide from Burnley's first corner of the game on 86 minutes.
But they were rare flashes of attacking promise on a day dominated by defences.