Spurs defenders scoring key goals a fitting tribute to Joe Kinnear

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3 (Murillo og 15, Van de Ven 53, Porro 58)

NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1 (Wood 27)

IT WAS FITTING that on the day their former full-back Joe Kinnear passed away, it was two defenders who scored the goals to take Tottenham back into fourth place and ahead of Aston Villa in the race for fourth place.

Kinnear, the chirpy Dubliner who spent a decade at Spurs before going on to a colourful managerial career, passed away at the age of 77 on Sunday after a long battle with dementia, the disease that also diminished the final years of his great mate Terry Venables, who died last year.

Kinnear was a fine full-back at Tottenham, winning the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup with them, as well as 26 caps for Ireland, before going on to manager Nepal, Wimbledon, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest among others.

Ange Postecoglou led the tributes to him after this current Spurs side beat Forest with two spectacular goals from defenders Micky Van de Ven and Pedro Porro.

“I just heard about it now,” said the Spurs manager.

“He's one of those figures who will always be remembered at this football club for his achievements. A distinguished manager and an outstanding player. A sad loss. Obviously all our love and support goes out to his family and friends.

“I never got the opportunity to meet him, but everyone speaks very highly of him as a person which is always the barometer around these things. A sad loss, particularly to those closest to him, but he'll never be forgotten at this football club.”

Postecoglou was upbeat about Tottenham's current defenders, particularly Van de Ven, who set them on their way to victory early in the second half after Chris Wood had drawn Forest level on what as an unhappy return for former Tottenham