Ryan Jackson’s stunner wasn’t enough for the Gills to take maximum points at Shrewsbury.

An own-goal in the opening half from Deji Oshilaja was quickly wiped out by a Cody McDonald effort.

Jackson put the Gills ahead from 25 yards after the break but James Collins equalised.

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Justin Edinburgh made two changes to his Gills XI for the match at 18th-placed Shrewsbury.

McDonald replaced suspended Rory Donnelly up front while captain Doug Loft returned to the squad ahead of Emmanuel Osadebe.

The game was played in wet and windy conditions and it took some time to come to life.

Shrewsbury’s best efforts were wide of the mark and it took the Gills 28 minutes to register a shot on target, when Loft forced a save from keeper Jayson Leutwiler.

The game’s opening goal came three minutes later when a free-kick was played in and, under pressure from Collins, Oshilaja nodded the ball backwards past Stuart Nelson.

Gillingham responded to the setback well but keeper Leutwiler was in great form, with Samuel denied from close range as he tried to turn Bradley Garmston’s cross in at the near post.

Bradley Dack was next to be thwarted, as was Samuel again, before the pressure paid off as McDonald skipped past one challenge before squeezing a shot in past the keeper to level just six minutes after conceding.

Chances continued at both ends before the break, with Nelson saving one-handed from Scott Vernon and Dack fizzing a cross in front of the Shrewsbury goal.

Incessant rain and swirling wind at the start of the second half was making it tough for both teams.

Samuel had Gills’ first chance of the second half, turning his marker on the edge of the box, but his low shot was saved by Leutwiler.

Just before the hour mark the Gills went ahead. Dack’s set-piece was cleared as far as Jackson and he smashed the ball back in past the keeper from distance.

The Gills were pressing for a third but Shrewsbury hit back with a leveller, making it 2-2 with 20 minutes left. Vernon played a ball through the Gills defence and Collins got in just ahead of Nelson to prod home.

McDonald hit the outside of a post with 10 minutes left and Jackson tested the keeper from distance in stoppage-time, but the game ended level.

Shrewsbury: Leutwiler, Grandison, Black, Collins, Kaikai, Brown, Gerrard, Vernon, Ogogo, Knight-Pervical, Cole. Subs not used: Burton, Lawrence, Whalley, McAlinden, Barnett, Akpa Akpro, Smith.

Gillingham: Nelson, Jackson, Garmston, Egan, Oshilaja, A Morris, Loft, Hessenthaler, Dack, McDonald, Sameul. Subs not used: Ehmer, Houghton, McGlashan, G Morris, Osadebe, Dickenson, Wright.

Attendance: 4,959 (256 away).