Rampant Reading raced to a comfortable 5-1 win over League Two outfit Luton in the Carling Cup second round on Tuesday night. The Royals were celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Madejski Stadium - the first game was on August 22, 1998.
Luton were the visitors that day as Reading won a Division Two match 3-0, but Steve Coppell's side bettered that result with a five-star showing.
Brothers Stephen and Noel Hunt linked up to devastating effect twice inside the opening 15 minutes to put Reading firmly in control at the break.
Two goals in as many minutes early in the second half from Alex Pearce and Jem Karacan ensured the Championship club all-but saw off the Football League's bottom side before James Henry added a fifth goal with 15 minutes remaining.
Some scrappy Reading defending enabled substitute Ryan Charles to stab a 10-yard shot past Adam Federici in the 80th minute but it was mere consolation for Luton.
Reading went close to opening the scoring in the fifth minute following a surging midfield run from Henry.
He slid the ball down the left-hand side of the box for Shane Long, who cut inside a sliding challenge from Keith Keane but sent his shot over the crossbar.
It was not long before the deadlock was broken. Stephen Hunt's inswinging corner was glanced home at the near post by the head of his younger sibling after 11 minutes, and four minutes later the favour was returned.
Noel Hunt held his run to beat the offside trap and latch on to Henry's throughball. He whipped in a low cross from the right-hand side which was met by Stephen Hunt sliding in at the far post.
Luton almost immediately halved their deficit. Sam Parkin's deflected shot from the edge of the area had Federici scrambling across his goal but the ball spun wide.
Reading were always dominant and only a fine save with his legs from Conrad Logan prevented Long from putting the tie beyond Luton two minutes before the break.
The game might have had a different complexion had Chris Martin's fierce shot on the stroke of half-time not been parried and then scrambled to safety by Federici.
It was a case of what might have been for Luton and Pearce timed his run perfectly to head Henry's corner into the roof of the net for Reading's third goal in the 53rd minute.
A minute later Karacan slid in at the far post to convert Noel Hunt's right-wing cross.
Hunt's corner was swept past Logan from close-range by Henry in the 75th minute before Charles pulled a goal back for the visitors.
