The points are shared at The Mem.

A first goal at The Memorial Stadium from Ryan Loft was not enough for Rovers to claim all three points against a stubborn Shrewsbury Town.

Joey Barton made three changes to the side that lost to Portsmouth last weekend with Connolly, Finley and Whelan replaced by Kilgour, Gordon and Anderson.

The first clear-cut chance of the game fell to John Marquis in the 19th minute. The Rovers striker did well to make space for himself and get a shot away, which Shrewsbury goalkeeper Marosi parried behind for a corner kick to the Gas. 

Rovers came agonisingly close to the game's opening goal in the 25th minute. Antony Evans worked an angle for the cross following a free-kick and found the oncoming Alfie Kilgour, who was desperately unlucky to see his well-placed header crash off the base of the post and Shrewsbury were able to clear their lines.

Rovers were almost the masters of their own downfall. After passing the ball around the backline without a Shrewsbury player in sight, Kilgour's wayward backpass nearly rolled into his own net. Belshaw's sliding clearance off his line bought the move to the end and spared Kilgour's blushes. 

Shrewsbury's Shipley had a chance to open the scoring just before the half-time interval but blasted his effort wide of Belshaw's goal.

Joey Barton rolled the dice in the 60th minute, bringing on Sam Finley and Ryan Loft in place of Lewis Gordon and Paul Coutts as Rovers pushed for the opener.

The changes proved to be what just Rovers needed. Collins picked up the ball and drove at the Shrewsbury defence before playing a perfectly-weighted ball into the feet of Ryan Loft, who opened up his body and swept the ball past Marosi to put the Gas a goal up.

The visitors found the equaliser not long after. After desperate defending from Rovers initially kept Shrewsbury out, from the corner, Bowman pounced to level the scores going into the final ten minutes of the game.

Rovers pushed for the winner but it wasn't to be and had to settle for a share of the spoils.

Next up for the Gas is the midweek trip to Plymouth Argyle as we begin our Papa Johns Trophy campaign. 

Rovers: James Belshaw, Luca Hoole, Alfie Kilgour, Lewis Gibson, Lewis Gordon, Paul Coutts (c), Antony Evans, Jordan Rossiter, Aaron Collins, John Marquis, Harry Anderson.

Subs: Anssi Jaakkola, Sam Finley, Ryan Loft, Harvey Saunders, Glenn Whelan, Malik Sesay, Jerry Lawrence.

Shrewsbury Town: Marko Marosi, Luke Leahy (c), Matthew Pennington, Taylor Moore, Dan Udoh, Tom Bayliss, Chey Dunkley, George Nurse, Jordan Shipley, Julien Dacosta, Tom Flanagan.

Subs: Harry Burgoyne, Ryan Bowman, Rekeil Pyke, Tom Bloxham, Charlie Caton, Kade Craig, Josh Barlow.

Referee: Sam Purkiss

Attendance: 8,570