The visitors’ hopes of ending a dismal run of 10 straight defeats in all competitions were hit when Max Melbourne was sent off after 35 minutes for a deliberate handball.

Callum Roberts converted the subsequent penalty to give the Iron a slender 1-0 lead at the interval.

Gateshead goalkeeper Tiernan Brooks pulled off a superb save to deny Declan Howe in the second half, but Danny Whitehall made the game safe when he grabbed Scunthorpe’s second goal in stoppage time.