There were a number of key moments in the game when things did not go in the Addicks’ favour.
Team wise, Lee Bowyer made two changes to the team that performed so stoically at Kenilworth Road on Saturday. Darren Pratley came in for Ben Reeves, and Karlan Grant was fit enough to return up front. Reeves and Igor Vetokele dropped to the bench.
Albie Morgan replaced Mark Marshall – who played for the Under-23s on Monday – on the bench, in an otherwise unchanged 18.
The gamble to keep playing Lewis Page while he was carrying a knock, backfired after 3 minutes. Despite lengthy treatment, the left-back had to be replaced by Anfernee Dijksteel.
The reshuffled defence saw Dijksteel go to right-back, with Chris Solly switching to the left. Jason Pearce was on the right side of central defence, leaving the back line with a makeshift look.
Jed Steer did not have the best of nights either, so it was no real surprise to see so many goals.
The Iron took an early lead following a free-kick. The kick was deflected for a corner, but the flag kick was touched home by Charlie Goode at the near post.
The restart was delayed to allow Page to receive lengthy treatment, before being replaced.
Charlton had turned the game around by the midway stage of the half. After 17 minutes a right-wing Josh Cullen corner was headed back across goal by Naby Sarr, for Lyle Taylor to nod home at the far post.
Taylor – sporting his new pink hairdo and pink boots – was a constant threat. He drifted to the left flank at times, and on occasions was unplayable.
Five minutes later Taylor teed up Joe Aribo to give the Addicks the lead.
Stuart McCall’s team responded with two goals of their own from Cameron Borthwick-Jackson to give Scunthorpe a 3-2 interval lead. Steer may feel he could have done better with all three goals.
Midway through the second period Charlton levelled things up again. Aribo broke clear but was crudely brought down from behind.
But justice was done when the Addicks made the free-kick count. Tariqe Fosu and the ubiquitous Taylor teed Fosu up for his second goal of the night.
The game swung on two controversial penalty decisions. Darren Drysdale pointed to the spot after he adjudged Pearce to have handled the ball. It was blasted at Pearce from point blank range. Josh Morris made no mistake from the spot.
Then a clear push on Aribo in the area went unpunished.
Charlton went in search of another equaliser, but were picked off in stoppage time by Stephen Humphys.
Bowyer will be hugely frustrated with how the evening panned out, but he has work to do with his team’s current defensive frailties.
Charlton: Steer; Solly, Page (Dijksteel 5), Pearce, Sarr, Pratley (Reeves 52), Cullen, Aribo, Fosu; Taylor, Grant (Vetokele 83).
Subs (not used): Phillips, Lapslie, Morgan, Ajose.
Goals: Taylor 17, Aribo 22, 68.
Scunthorpe: Alnwick, Clarke (Thomas 88), Borthwick-Jackson, Ojo, Humphrys, Morris, Novak (Dales 85), Goode, Burgess, McArdle, Colclough.
Subs (not used): Flatt, Lewis, Sutton, Butroid.
Goals: Goode 3, Borthwick-Jackson 30, 38, Morris 72 (pen), Humphrys 90.
Referee: Darren Drysdale (Cambridgeshire).