But it was a result which plunged Scunthorpe United deeper into relegation trouble.
Striker Pablo Counago was the hero turned villain for Ipswich. First he fired them in front in the 19th minute after exchanging passes on the edge of the box with fellow striker Alan Lee.
But Counago was then sent off in the 51st minute following an off the ball incident with Scunthorpe full-back Jack Cork, which produced a red card for both players.
Ipswich always looked the better side in difficult gusty conditions.
Counago almost put them 2-0 in front shortly before the interval when he burst into the box, but saw his shot well saved by goalkeeper Joe Murphy.
It was not until just before the interval that Scunthorpe came into the game as an attacking force, with central defender Andy Butler heading a corner just wide of the target.
After both teams were reduced to ten men early in the second half, it was Scunthorpe who tried to push forward in search of an equaliser.
Midfield man Jim Goodwin fired one effort over the top, before Ipswich made certain of the points with a second goal in the 71st minute.
It came from Spanish full-back Luis Castro Sito, who forced his way into the box unchallenged to steer a low shot past Murphy for his first goal in English football.
Scunthorpe finally got themselves on to the scoresheet in the 90th minute, when winger Curtis Weston pulled back a low cross from the right for substitute Ben May to squeeze a shot past goalkeeper Stephen Bywater from a tight angle.
It was May's first goal for Scunthorpe, but it was too little too late to save them from another costly home defeat.