A week of uncertainty over the availability of top striker Bull eased today with this encouraging bulletin from manager Graham Taylor: "Steve has made progress every day and we are hoping he will play.''

A final decision on the striker's hamstring injury will be delayed - possibly until just before kick-off - to see how he reacts to a more strenuous work-out.

Bull has trained in isolation with physio Barry Holmes for most of the week andTaylor has to weigh up the massive lift his presence would give the side against the risk of further damage.

The outcome could influence the rest of a line-up still bearing several question marks despite the club's impressive pre-season build-up.

I expect teenager James Smith to be handed his debut at right-back and for Geoff Thomas - despite still not being fully match-fit - to line up in midfield.

But there are battles between Paul Blades and Neil Emblen for the position alongside skipper Peter Shirtliff in the centre of defence; between Paul Cook and Darren Ferguson in midfield, and, if Bull plays, between Lee Mills and David Kelly for the other strike role.

Kevin Keen will start as deputy for the injured Tony Daley.

Reading are led by newly-appointed club captain Adrian Williams, who attracted Taylor's interest earlier in the summer, and include 53-cap Polish international Dariusz Wdowczyk - a recent free transfer capture from Celtic - alongside him at centre-half.

Former Wolves midfielder Mick Gooding, who signed a new one-year contract in the summer after earlier threatening to quit the game, is also in Reading's squad.

Reading beat Spaniards Real Sociedad 1-0 last Saturday in their final warm-up game.

Injury-plagued Wolves left-back Neil Masters yesterday underwent the hernia operation and faces being out of action for another two months.