CLINICAL KANE ON HAND TO DOUSE THE FOREST FIRE
NOTTINGHAM Forest, meet Harry Kane, it is all part of the learning curve. When Kane is around, it really does not matter about ball possession, territorial advantage or the decibel levels ringing around the rafters of a wonderful old ground.
It is about focus, converting the chances and scoring goals. As he did yesterday with a brace for his 200th and 201st league goals.
Forest made all the running. They were quick and thrilling at times but didn’t score and were undone by the England captain at the start and end of the game.
The first did not puncture the enthusiasm of Steve Cooper’s team nor the raucous home crowd but the second, in the 81st minute, certainly did. It was a sobering reminder that, in such rarefied company, it is about cold, unemotional concentration and quality.
Kane has now played against 32 different opponents in the top flight and has scored against all but Brentford. He is rewriting records every time he pulls on his boots. This double eased him up to a total of 187 Premier League goals in 286 games, level with Andy Cole in the charts. Only Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer have more than Kane, who also has nine goals in the Championship and five in League One.
He vowed to chase down Shearer, who scored 260 times in the competition, and firstly Rooney, who has 208.
‘[It is] still a long way away for sure,’ said Kane. ‘I feel fit, I feel like I’ve got many more years left in the locker. Every season, I want to score goals and be amongst those names we just saw there and I’m excited for the challenge.
‘Alan and Wayne are two of the best strikers England have ever had so even to be in that category is nice for me. But I want to keep pushing myself and see how far I can go.’
Kane could have left Nottingham with a hat-trick. His penalty was saved by England team-mate Dean Henderson. It was 1-0 at the time but he put the disappointment out of his mind.
Three-nil would have been unfair on Forest. Two-nil a harsh enough lesson. But they received a standing ovation from those who recognised the effort and sense of adventure.
Cooper has signed 17 players without losing the identity forged as they won promotion last season and his side responded to the setback of Tottenham’s first, scored on the break in the fifth minute.
Dejan Kulusevski seized on a loose ball in midfield, drove infield and released Kane, whose finish was low past Henderson.
Kane then eased away again, this time found by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and was thwarted by a vital tackle from Joe Worrall. Heung-min Son grazed the bar when Scotland international Scott McKenna failed to clear.
Forest refused to change their approach. They threw their wingbacks forward and the front three were fluent and mobile.
Hugo Lloris sprang left to beat away a long-range shot from Lewis O’Brien. Then the Spurs keeper scrambled from his line to stop Jesse Lingard connecting with a cross from Morgan Gibbs-White.
This was Forest’s best spell. Brennan Johnson headed wide and Gibbs-White fired over, with Antonio Conte looking increasingly agitated.
Lloris was stranded when Ryan Yates headed wide before Spurs were awarded a penalty in the 53rd minute.
Kane had risen at the back post to meet a cross from Ivan Perisic only to find Forest centre-half Steve Cook turn the ball over the bar with his hand. Craig Pawson pointed to the spot without hesitation.
Cook claimed he had been pushed. Spurs wanted him sent off. Stuart Attwell, on VAR, checked the replays. Cook escaped with a yellow.
Henderson made a fabulous save, diving to his right as Kane failed to get the height he wanted. The City Ground roared.
Within seconds, at the other end, Neco Williams squeezed a chance for an equaliser wide.
Spurs had more control in the second half and Cooper took more risks. Henderson denied Son, and Kulusevski blazed wide, but Kane scored his second in the 81st minute.
Forest were tiring when Ryan Sessegnon’s cross was cleared. They thought the danger was over and failed to react as Richarlison won recycled possession and delivered the ball back in for an unmarked Kane to score with a diving header and secure all three points.
NOTTM FOREST (3-4-3): Henderson 7; Worrall 6, Cook 5 (Kouyate 75), McKenna 6; Williams 6, Yates 6 (Awoniyi 75), O’Brien 6 (Freuler 75), Toffolo 6; Johnson 8 (Surridge 90), Lingard 7 (Dennis 69), Gibbs-White 7. Subs not used: Hennessey, Biancone, Colback, Mighten. Booked: Cook, Worrall, McKenna, O’Brien, Johnson. TOTTENHAM (3-4-3): Lloris 7; Sanchez 6, Dier 7, Davies 6; Royal 6, Hojbjerg 7, Bentancur 6 (Spence 90), Perisic 6 (Sessegnon 73); Kulusevski 7 (Bissouma 83), Kane 8, Son 6 (Richarlison 73). Subs not used: Forster, Doherty, Tanganga, Lenglet, Sarr. Booked: Kane. Man of the match: Harry Kane. Referee: Craig Pawson. Attendance: 29,296.