TIS the season for miracles, but Inverness Caledonian Thistle have made a habit of pulling off the remarkable this term.

A 4-1 win over Dundee yesterday lifted the Highland side back into second place in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League but it is a position which seems appropriate, rather than exceptional. Leaders Celtic are still within reach, too.

Any suggestion of a title bid is probably pushing it and Inverness were not at their most impressive, despite what the scoreline suggests. Even so, it is testament to how they have performed this season that there is cause to find fault with a 4-1 win. It is a result which also maintains an august scoring record, with Inverness having fired four past Dundee United last weekend as well.

"I asked the players if they enjoyed that and they said no, as we didn't play with the fluency we can," said Inverness manager Terry Butcher. "But I can't complain, because we're second in the league and scored again, it's now 24 straight games."

Their last outing produced three goals within the opening 10 minutes. Richie Foran bent a shot against a post but was bundled over by Dundee defender Declan Gallagher while trying to retrieve possession on the bye-line. Referee Kevin Clancy deliberated before pointing to the spot, and Billy McKay picked his with greater aplomb as he converted after 12 minutes.

The striker's second, in the second half, took his tally to 18 for the campaign but Gary Warren almost stole prominence midway through the first half; first misjudging a long ball to allow Colin Nish in on goal, then snatching at a loose ball when he had the chance to be more constructive, bringing rebukes from Andrew Shinnie and Foran.

And yet the Inverness defence has escaped any lasting scrutiny, given their side's capacity for success. They had conceded 14 goals at home before yesterday – albeit that tally is skewed by a 5-1 defeat to Motherwell – and there were moments of angst against Dundee.

One brought the equaliser after 19 minutes as Jim McAlister seized possession wide on the left and swept a pass towards Nicky Riley, who steered a shot into the far corner.

That moment of neat play belied Dundee's position at the bottom of the league table, but they were not slow in reminding everyone why they are down there as they fell behind just five minutes later. Owain Tudur Jones collected the ball some 25 yards from goal and stuck it in the bottom corner of the net.

It seemed a casual finish but McKay perhaps took things a little far when he added a third early in the second half despite lying flat on his back. The striker had fallen while attempting to round Rab Douglas but he was still able to swing his right boot to force in a shot, beating Andrew Shinnie to the stray ball in the process. "It was like an Inspector Gadget leg," said Butcher. "It was the most bizarre goal I've seen in a long while."

Shinnie has been a diminished presence since reverting to a wider attacking role – his last goal had come on November 3 – but it took a defiant swipe from Douglas to divert his shot past a post after 64 minutes. The Dundee goalkeeper could do little with his next effort, though; Shinnie adroitly working space in the box and steering a shot into the net.

That goal rudely exposed the soft belly of this Dundee side but there is hope as long as Ross County show similar vulnerability, with the gap between them still six points.

"The third goal made it difficult for us and they went from strength to strength," said Dundee manager Barry Smith.