The Notts County manager said "I thought Oxford City would be his first game.
"The physios said he was coming along really well in training, I know his fitness levels aren't where they need to be.
"I asked the physio if he had 20, 30 minutes, thinking for Saturday, and he said 'yeah and on Saturday he can do the same'. I then wanted to give the lad a lift, get him back with the team and it was only this afternoon I decided to put him on the bench in case we need a bit of magic."