Gillingham missed the chance to press their claim for a League 1 play-off place after being frustrated on home soil by Shrewsbury.

The Gills ended a tough first half with a chance to take the lead but Connor Ogilvie struck the woodwork. Neither side could find a winner after the break.

On a day when some of Gills’ play-off rivals slipped up, the Gills were unable to capitalise as they too missed out on valuable points.

The Gills made one change to their starting XI as defender Robbie Cundy returned and the home back line were busier than they would have hoped.

A bright enough start from Steve Evans’ side gave way to numerous Shrewsbury chances as the Gills were put on the back foot.

Gillingham’s leading scorer Vadaine Oliver had a good early chance from a Jordan Graham cross, miscuing at the back stick.

Shrews soon took charge. Sean Goss and Nathaniel Ogbeta had shots blocked and Donald Love put a great effort wide with the aid of a deflection. Gills keeper Jack Bonham also had to save one handed after Daniel Udoh ran at goal and fired in low.

Bonham also saved from Josh Vela before the Gills came into it towards the end of the half.

Ogilvie had the best chance of the half, when the ball dropped to him in the box from Ryan Jackson’s long throw, but his close range effort struck the base of the post.

A draw was no good for the Gills - still hopeful of a play-off place - and they needed to up it in the second half against a side languishing in the lower reaches of League 1.

The Gills made two changes at the break. Stuart O’Keefe had been booked early on and there was a risk of him not finishing the game. Dominic Samuel replaced John Akinde up top.

Bonham had to stay alert and got down well to save from Vela 10 minutes after the restart.

Ogilvie won another of Jackson’s throws early in the second half but his header dropped onto the roof of the net. Oliver also had a sniff from a long throw but keeper Matija Sarkic held on.

Chances were becoming more frequent for the Gills and they should have made more of a two-on-two situation after Samuel had robbed a defender, then opting to pass to Oliver and he fired over.

Love had a chance for Shrewsbury with 10 minutes left which he blazed over and Ogbeta went closer with an angled drive but also missed the target.

Oliver hit a shot wide for the Gills late on in a game where neither team were able to show their quality where it mattered.

A stoppage-time shot from Shrewsbury’s Harry Chapman almost won it but a deflection took it just wide of the bottom corner.

Gillingham: Bonham, Jackson, Ogilvie, Cundy, Tucker, Dempsey, O’Keefe (McKenzie 46mins), MacDonald (Lee 79mins), Graham, Oliver, Akinde (Samuel 46mins). Subs: Bastien, Willock, Lee, Johnson, O’Connor.

Shrewsbury: Sarkic, Ogbeta, Love, Williams, Ebvanks-Landell, Pennington, Norburn, Vela, Goss (Edwards 88mins), Whalley (Chapman 86mins), Udoh (Main 86mins). Subs: Burgoyne, Pyke, Sears, Davis.

Referee: Trevor Kettle