United scored through a Farrend Rawson own goal and John McAtee, but were beaten 3-2 by Mansfield Town at the Sands Venue Stadium on Boxing Day.
The Iron made two changes going into the game, with Mason O'Malley and Aaron Jarvis replacing Myles Hippolyte and Ryan Loft.
The first chance came the way of the visitors as Jamie Reid slammed a left-footed shot over the bar following a left-winged cross. United had earlier dealt with two crosses into the box with Emmanuel Onariase and Lewis Spence intercepting.
With seven minutes played, Aaron Jarvis chased a ball down the left channel. Marek Stech came out to claim the ball and landed outside his box, but the referee was in a good position to view that he appeared to keep the ball inside the area.
On 15 minutes, the visitors put in a good cross from the left side which didn't find a Mansfield head and went out for a goal kick.
Just a minute later, George Lapslie bundled the ball into the net to give the Stags the lead.
There was an instant response from the Iron as Abo Eisa floated in a free-kick to Onariase who saw his header saved by Marek Stech before the ball was hooked out for a throw.
Seven minutes later, Eisa got some space down the left and cut onto his left foot before seeing his cross turned behind for a corner.
With 29 minutes gone, Mansfield doubled their lead as a left-winged cross was turned in by Onariase, with Mark Howard not able to keep the ball from crossing the line.
Eight minutes later, there was neat build-up from the Iron which resulted in a good ball into Alex Gilliead. His powerful low shot was driven towards goal and beaten away by Stech.
Straight after that, the deficit was halved through an own goal. Gilliead's shot looked to deflect towards Jarvis, but Farrend Rawson rolled in the ball for him.
Soon after, a free-kick from O’Malley was sent into the area. Jarvis won contact, with Jacob Bedeau also getting a touch before the ball was cleared, deflecting off an Iron player for a Mansfield throw.
Then, Eisa curled another Iron free-kick into the area. Beestin won the header but the ball went out for a goal kick.
After the half-time break, with 50 minutes played, Eisa cut onto his left foot on the edge of the area before sending a shot over the bar.
Three minutes later, at the other end, Bedeau blocked a volley from Ollie Clarke, but the ball rebounded to Charsley. Howard saved the first effort from him before the second was blocked out for a corner.
The first Scunthorpe change of the night then came as Tyler Cordner came on for Onariase, who had gone down requiring treatment in the penalty area.
The visitors then made it three on the hour mark as Howard saved one effort before the second from Bowery looked to have been cleared off the line. However, for the second time in this game, one of the referee’s assistants flagged that the ball had crossed the line.
There was then a double Scunthorpe change as Lewis Spence and Jarvis were replaced by Jake Taylor and Loft.
United pulled a goal back on 70 minutes when Taylor did brilliantly in midfield to come away with the ball and find Loft on the channel. He crossed for McAtee who side-footed the ball home for his second strike of the season in all competitions.
Soon after, at the other end, Rawson headed over following a left-sided free-kick from the visitors.
In the 74th minute, Loft was played in down the left side. He advanced on goal with Stech making a fine save. Then, from the corner, Eisa was played short before his shot went wide.
With eight minutes of the game remaining, Devarn Green came on for Alfie Beestin to add an extra attacking threat. Straight after coming on, he beat his man on the right and crossed, with the visitors heading over for a corner. However, nothing came from the subsequent set-play.
United kept pushing for the equaliser and, on 89 minutes, Jordan Clarke sent in the ball from the right, but Bowery cleared under pressure at the back post and the corner which came from it was cleared.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Cordner played a decent ball out to Eisa on the left side, who won a set-play, but nothing came from the set-play.
Then, right at the end of the game, Taylor unleashed a shot from distance which cleared the crossbar. It was the final chance of the afternoon.
Scunthorpe return to action on Tuesday night when they visit Walsall (7pm kick-off).
IRON: Howard, Clarke, Bedeau, Onariase (Cordner, 56), Gilliead, Eisa, Jarvis (Loft, 66), Spence (Taylor, 66), Beestin (Green, 82), O'Malley, McAtee.
IRON SUBS NOT USED: Watson, Hippolyte, Rowe.
MANSFIELD: Stech, Gordon, Rawson, Sweeney, Benning, Clarke, Lapslie, Maris, Charsley, Bowery, Reid (Cook, 80).
MANSFIELD SUBS NOT USED: Stone, O'Keeffe, Menayese, Perch, McLaughlin, Sinclair.