Notts County manager Keith Curle made five changes and it was two of his new faces who got onto the scoresheet - Enoch Showunmi and Carl Regan.
It heaped more misery on struggling Scunthorpe who were badly needing a boost after four successive league defeats.
The home side made three changes of their own, bringing Robbie Gibbons, Connor Jennings and Jordan Keegan into the starting line-up.
And they took the lead in the 11th minute. A crisp passing move ended with the ball finding Mark Duffy in the box who turned to fire in a shot that took a deflection on its way past keeper Bartosz Bialkowski.
The Iron failed to build on their early success. County had been slow to settle, but finished the first half strongly and equalised in the 41st minute.
Keeper Sam Slocombe did well to turn over a rasping drive from Joss Labadie but from the resulting corner Showunmi headed home from close range after the Scunthorpe defence failed to get the ball clear.
Striker Mike Grella missed a good chance to restore the lead for the home side after 54 minutes but he failed to beat Bialkowski after good work down the right by the industrious Duffy.
But four minutes later County took the lead when an excellent ball from Andre Boucaud released Carl Regan into the box from the right to make no mistake with a well struck shot.