Gillingham’s match winner Jayden Clarke is looking forward to picking up an extra bonus from his manager.

Clarke popped up on 79 minutes to head in Conor Masterson’s cross past Port Vale goalkeeper Connor Ripley to clinch the win for the Gills. It was his fifth goal of the season.

Report: Gillingham 1 Port Vale 0

Manager Mark Bonner had offered the forward £100 to score with his head this season and will have to be dipping his hand in his pocket after Saturday’s winning moment.

Clarke revealed afterwards: “A couple of weeks ago, he said that if I score a header, he'd give me £100.

“So, I'm going to go to his office on Monday morning!”

“I'm not really known for my heading. A couple of the boys in the change room take the mick out of me for my heading. I was happy to score a header and happy to get the win.

“As soon as it left my head, I was just looking at the ball and it just felt like I was waiting and waiting and waiting and then luckily I saw it just go past the goalkeeper.

“I think it may have taken a little deflection. It was still my goal and I’m happy to get another.”

In a game of few chances, Clarke delivered again. He’s got five now for the season - having only got two throughout the whole of the previous campaign.

Playing regularly has helped, as has doing overtime in the summer to make sure he was prepared for pre-season so he could hit the ground running.

He’s now featured in every game so far.

He said: “I didn't really do well in front of goal last year, but it was something that I worked on in the off-season. I think it's paying off now in the season.

“I just want to score as many as possible.

“I've already had more starts than I did the whole of last season so I'm just happy to be involved this year.

“I need to keep doing what I'm doing to keep playing. Otherwise, obviously there's talent in the squad and it's easy to come out.”

Clarke was asked if he’d scored with his head before.

He said: “I don't remember the last time I scored a header, to be honest. I don't remember. Possibly never and I'm trying to think back to when I was like eight or nine!”

Victory was Gillingham’s first one in their last seven outings in the league.

Clarke added: “It's been a while since we last got a win, which everyone knows, but I think we played well.

“It was one of those games. It was always just going to be like a 1-0 game. Someone's going to get the chance. Luckily, it was us and we got the win.”