Adkins labelled the sending off as "interesting" before criticising the Tractor Boys' No.9.
"Counago spat in Andy Butler's face, and there is no place for that in English football. It was a disgrace," he told BBC Radio Humberside
"From what I am led to believe, he slapped Jack Cork in the face, Jack puts his hands up and the referee sends them both off.
"The poor lad was desolute in the dressing room, crying his eyes out. I feel for the lad because he is a great pro.
"He has got to pick himself up now because he is going to play for England (U-19s) on Tuesday night, so we wish him well with that."
Adkins will not appeal against the decision as he feels the chances of getting the decision overturned are slim. He will now miss the next three games. It was United's 10th red card of the season.
The red cards unsettled Ipswich, but United spurned several chances before the visitors grabbed a second goal.
"Scunthorpe adjusted to the sending off better than we did, that was their best period. They put us under an awful lot of pressure and we didn't cope with it very well," said Ipswich chief Jim Magilton.
"The sending off was a very unsavoury incident but it will be dealt with internally, if I see that Pablo Counago has spat on a fellow pro it will be dealt with very harshly."