With kick-off pushed back by 20 minutes due to transport delays and technical issues, Eric Dier did his best to make up for lost time by almost immediately looping a freakish 45-yard effort onto the roof of the net.
That was as good as it got for Spurs in the opening half hour, as Fulham pinned the visitors into their own half and tested Hugo Lloris with Harrison Reed’s close-range volley, but the pendulum swung back towards Tottenham as HT approached.
Kane fired his first warning shot with a fizzing effort from 30 yards, but his telling contribution came in stoppage time, when he turned on the edge of the box before brilliantly whipping a shot into the far corner.
A trademark finish now means Kane is the joint top-scorer for his club and country, with both records arriving before he turns 30.
The England captain nearly went one better after the break with Dejan Kulusevski’s deep cross headed invitingly back across goal by Ben Davies, but Kane’s point-blank header was palmed away by Bernd Leno.
Fulham had plenty of fight but lacked in firepower as Antonio Conte set out an organised side in the second half, and the hosts were left wanting as star striker Aleksandar Mitrović drew blank for the first time in five London derbies this campaign.
By leaving empty-handed, Fulham spurned the chance to leapfrog Spurs but they remain seventh in the table and just nine shy of the magical 40-point mark.
Tottenham, meanwhile, bounced back after a run of two successive defeats, edging closer to fourth with red-hot Kane taking his tally to eight goals in seven games against the Cottagers.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
