HAVING boned up on his club's history since the Scottish Cup semi-final, John Hughes last night suggested that the narrative being constructed has moved into the realms of fantasy as they prepare to head into uncharted territory.

The Inverness manager was surprised last month when told he had led them to a first Scottish Cup final appearance following their defeat of Celtic, but he knew exactly what had been achieved when they left the Dens Park pitch having guaranteed themselves a place in next season's Europa League.

"We got the three points which takes us into Europe and that's a fairytale story," he said.

"It's a remarkable story, what the boys have done, right from the word go. The bread and butter of the league tells you how good a team you are and to finish third, taking us into Europe for the first time in history with a Scottish Cup final to look forward to, there's a lot of good stuff happening up in Inverness."

As entitled as he is to point out how deserved their third-place finish is over the course of the campaign he was also right to acknowledge, as he characteristically did, that they were rather fortunate over the course of yesterday's 90 minutes to inflict a fifth successive defeat on their hosts.

Challenged by Paul Hartley to fight for their futures - the Dundee manager stating afterwards that he is looking to add three or four players to a squad that has exceeded expectations in ensuring a finish inside the top six in their first season back in the Premiership - the home team duly showed plenty of hunger and fight if not quite sufficient quality in front of goal after going behind early on.

They had even been the better side ahead of that happening, their best effort in the opening exchanges a snap shot from Luka Tankulic from 25 yards out that had Ryan Esson at full stretch diving to his left, but it slipped just wide.

At the other end, however, James McPake had to produce a diving headed clearance to prevent a Ross Draper cross from the right getting through to Marley Watkins at the back post and when the ball came in from that flank again a few minutes later, Greg Tansey sending it in-swinging goalwards, Edward Ofere rose above the defence as it reached the six yard box to give no chance to Kyle Letheren, back in Dundee's goal in place of Scott Bain who is out for the season.

Dundee responded and benefited from the returns of Paul McGowan who looked to be revelling in the opportunity to burn off some energy and presumably some of the frustration felt at the limitations currently placed on his availability to play and Greg Stewart their Premiership player-of-the-season contender.

The latter was twice denied, a header from beyond the far post after a Paul McGinn cross from the right looping over Esson, only for Daniel Devine to acrobatically clear it off the line, before he worked a one-two with James McAlister on the edge of the penalty area and, from a tight angle, got in a strong shot which Esson did well to fend off.

He tested the goalkeeper again with a free kick late in the half, bending the ball round the wall with that left foot, to send Esson diving to his right, while McPake got his head to the resultant corner but could not direct the ball under the bar.

Their best chance arrived soon after the break when Tankulic perhaps delayed his ball into the box, where McAlister was running into space, just a fraction too long, but the midfielder should still have made better contact.

Both sides showed good intent from that point but there had been something of a lull before a brief flurry of late activity saw Dundee press once more and with McPake spending most of his time supplementing the forward line, he came closest with a firm header, Esson reacting brilliantly in diving low to his left to turn the ball round the post to secure the win.