Gillingham were soundly beaten at Scunthorpe on Saturday.

The Gills endured a torrid first half at Scunthorpe, going behind after a mistake from keeper Stuart Nelson just five minutes in.

Josh Morris doubled the lead from the penalty spot, picking himself up following a shove from Gills skipper Josh Wright, before Jordan Clarke made it three with a free header off a stoppage-time corner.

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The second half wasn’t much better. Nelson misjudged a Morris shot for 4-0, ending any hopes of a fightback and Tom Hopper tapped in a fifth. Nelson denied them a sixth with an injury-time penalty save.

Midweek star performer Ryan Jackson missed the match with a groin injury, picked up late in the week. He was rested as a precaution and replaced by youngster Josh Pask.

Jackson’s pace and attacking threat was missed down the right flank.

Bradley Dack was back from a knee injury and named on the bench. Rory Donnelly replaced Cody McDonald in attack.

Both teams went into the match without a defeat from their first three games in League 1 but the hosts quickly took control.

Home striker Kevin van Veen opened the scoring after just five minutes, running in at goal and seeing his speculative effort diverted into the net by Nelson. The Gills keeper got two hands behind the shot but was unable to hold on.

Nelson made a great save do deny David Mirfin moments later as his glancing header was heading towards the corner of the net.

Gillingham had barely threatened before they went 2-0 behind. Wright pushed Morris just inside the box and the same player stepped up to convert after referee David Webb had pointed to the spot.

Only once they were two goals behind did the Gills put in a series of good moves but rarely did they manage to test keeper Luke Daniels.

Deji Oshilaja has to best chance of the half, starting and ending a move. He was fed by Mark Byrne but Daniels managed to get behind the shot.

Max Ehmer hooked another chance over but in stoppage-time the Gills conceded again. A Morris corner found Clarke unmarked and he had a simple finish.

Jay Emanuel-Thomas fired wide for the Gills in the second half but not before Scunthorpe had a few decent openings themselves. Osadebe shot low into the keeper’s arms just before the hour.

Nelson was at fault for Scunthorpe’s fourth on 59 minutes as Morris took on a shot from 25 yards and saw it creep in past the Gills keeper, who had got behind the low effort but could only deflect it into his own net.

With 20 minutes left substitute Elliott List crossed for Emmanuel-Thomas but he headed over.

Scunthorpe added a fifth on 82 minutes when Hakeeb Adelakun ran into the box, evaded a number of challenges and laid it on a plate for Hopper to tap home from just a yard out.

The home side missed the chance to make it six when Nelson saved Scott Laird’s stoppage-time penalty after List had fouled Conor Townsend in the box.

Daniels, Wallace, Mirfin, Dawson, Morris (Laird 85mins), Bishop, Hopper, Holmes (Adelakun 32mins), Townsend, Clarke, Van Veen (Wootton 73mins). Subs: Anyon, Wiseman, King, Goode.Scunthorpe:

Nelson, Oshilaja, Konchesky, Ehmer, Pask, Wright, Byrne, Knott (List 65mins), Osadebe (Oldaker 75mins), Donnelly (McDonald 65mins), Emmanuel-Thomas. Subs: Hadler, Hessenthaler, Dickenson, DackGillingham:

Attendance: 3,718