The Iron’s Under-18 side lost 3-0 at Harrogate Town on Saturday morning in the EFL Youth Alliance League.
Goals from Ben Tweed, Finn O’Boyle and Lewis Smalley sunk the side to defeat, in a game where United created a whole host of strong opportunities.
Played at a good tempo throughout, the Iron fell behind half-way through the first 45 minutes, with Tweed chopping inside well to finish low into the bottom corner.
Charlie Burden-Whittleton’s free-kick then looped all the way through towards the back post soon after, evading everyone in a Scunthorpe shirt to go amiss.
As the second half began Charley Strouther’s ball into the box was almost met by the head of Tyrell Sellars-Fleming, as the Iron again looked to get back into the game.
A long throw into the box caused the hosts further problems as the game etched on. This time Harry Elliott-Bell’s header was just inches away from looping into the net.
But Town soon doubled their advantage just 10 minutes before time, as O’Boyle won a penalty for the Sulphurites.
The forward stepped up to take it too, with Ewan Oxborough saving terrifically to his left, before O’Boyle tucked home the rebound.
Harrogate then added a third just moments before the end, as Smalley raced forward after United burst forward in numbers. He slid the ball home to complete the scoring in North Yorkshire.
Following the full-time whistle, Professional Development Phase Coach Rob Watson believed the game was one of few chances, with his side punished for not taking their own efforts.
"It was a tough game, with Harrogate brimming in confidence having won their last five games coming into this one and I thought our boys more than matched them for large stages," he began.
"We had a whole host of chances in the first half through Charley [Strouther] and Ty [Sellars-Fleming] that just didn’t go our way. But credit to Harrogate, they played the ball about well and took their chances when they came.
"We will as always dust ourselves down, take another look at it and get ready for Grimsby in midweek."
The Iron’s Under-18 side return to action against Grimsby Town on Tuesday morning in the EFL Youth Alliance League, with the game taking place at Cheapside in a 11:00 GMT kick-off.
IRON: Murtagh (Oxborough, 45); Cunningham, Abraham (Dickinson, 80), Pike; Burden-Whittleton (Elliott-Bell, 60), Robertson, Cribb, Strouther; Wallace (Larkin, 80), Poulter, Sellars-Fleming.