The result means the Vale are now seven games unbeaten and although other teams have a number of games in hand over Hugh Hamill’s men, the Vale boss was delighted to get another three points on the board.

He said: “It was important that we won on Saturday — East Kilbride are going through a bit of a transition just now but they were much stronger than the last time we played them.

“They played well but once we broke their resistance it was good to add another couple of goals.” The Vale started well on Saturday but it took until the 50th minute for them to take the lead with Lee McGeachy converting Scott Arthur’s ball.

Hamill then introduced substitutes Craig Cowan and Gordon Martin and the duo wrapped up the points for the Vale.

Shortly after coming on Cowan nodded home McGeachy’s cross to double the hosts’ lead and the points were wrapped up when Martin was fouled inside the box and Alan Brown confidently tucked home the penalty.

Hamill was delighted to see his team go three points clear at the top of the league and although the other promotion candidates have games in hand, the Vale boss knows his team can only focus on their own games, he continued: “Other teams have played less but it is good to be at the top of the league, all we can do is keep winning our own games.

“It is incredible to think at this time in the year we only have five league games to go but it is five big games.

“The remaining games will be a good test of character — if we win them then we will get promoted.”