Paul McMullan’s first half wonder-strike kept Dundee’s title push rolling with a vital three points in Inverness.
It was far from the Dark Blues’ finest victory of their eight-match unbeaten run in the league, but Gary Bowyer’s resurgent side ground it out superbly against a host side desperate for a win.
McMullan, recently named Championship player of the month, was in fine form as he tested the hosts with a series of attacking forays, but his 25-yard strike for the winner lit up a game short on memorable moments.
The win, carved out with patience and resolve from the visiting team, kept Dundee one point behind leaders Ayr, but stretched Caley Jags’ deficit on the top spot to nine points.
Both sides made two changes, but there the similarity ended in terms of pre-match form and fortunes.
Caley Thistle were trying to break a run of six league games without a win, while Dundee were defending that seven-game unbeaten run.
The Dens Park side, with only one defeat since Caley Thistle beat them in September, brought in goalkeeper Adam Legzdins for Ian Lawlor and Tyler French for Max Anderson.
Dundee showed spells of decent possession and movement, but the opening goal came completely out of the blue in the 26th minute.
It looked a harmless situation wide left of the home penalty area as Paul McMullan cut inside, but the strike he unleashed was sensational – soaring high into the far top corner of Cammy MacKay’s net.
Close to half-time, Cammy Kerr’s angled strike from the far left was palmed away by keeper MacKay before, at the other end, Tyler French pulled off a saving header as George Oakley closed in on a Doran cross.
The second half was crying out for a spark of inspiration, but neither side could muster it.
A well-worked move from Caley Thistle ended with a Doran screamer of a strike dipping just over the crossbar.
Substitute Luke McCowan’s first contribution was an angled strike that home keeper MacKay did well to parry to safety, with the visitors making a habit of hitting fast on the counter-attack, particularly through pacy Championship player of the month Paul McMullan.
In stoppage time, Dundee survived a late scare when Hibs-loanee Dan MacKay’s run and low strike spun just beyond the far post.
But they held firm to pick up a potentially massive victory.
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