Lee Trundle hit his first goals since his £1million summer move from Swansea City, to help his new club Bristol City to their first Championship win.
And what goals they were too, both struck left-footed from the right of goal and flying in beyond the right shoulder of ex-Scunthorpe keeper Joe Murphy.
The first came on 36 minutes with a thundering drive from a ball turned back to him by Scott Murray, the second a quick-thinking lob when he saw the keeper was off his line.
Between his goals Martin Paterson, with his third goal since his move from Stoke City, put Scunthorpe back into the game with a quick strike.
Scunthorpe were already looking for a penalty after Cleveland Taylor had disappeared under a series of tackles, but as the ball broke to him, Paterson wasted no time putting it away.
All three were quality strikes and this game between the top two in last season's League One badly needed them, for much of the play had been distinctly mediocre.
There had been the only three attempts on goal, but the half-time message in both dressing rooms must have been pretty similar for the pace and tempo was stepped up for the second half.
Scunthorpe made a double change just short of the hour to add support for Paterson. With Jonathan Forte taking the target role, Paterson was freed to take a wider position on the right, where he began to worry City back Jamie McAllister.
City though held their substitutes back and when they came it was to preserve their narrow lead and in doing so they took off their scoring hero Trundle, who left to a standing ovation.