Town 2 Gillingham 2 - Report and pictures

An own goal by on-loan Cardiff defender Adedeji Oshilaja gave Micky Mellon's side a 31st-minute lead against the run of play.

But Gillingham deservedly levelled through Cody McDonald six minutes later then went ahead through Ryan Jackson's piledriver (53).

But captain James Collins's second goal in a week and seventh of the season saw Salop make it four points from their last two outings.

Shrewsbury Town (4-4-2): Leutwiler; Grandison, Gerrard, Knight-Percival, Brown; Cole, Black, Ogogo, Kaikai; Vernon, Collins.

Subs not used: Lawrence, Whalley, McAlinden, Barnett, Akpa Akpro, Smith, Burton (gk).

Gillingham (4-4-2): Nelson; Jackson, Egan, Oshilaja, Garmston; Hessenthaler, A Morris, Dack, Loft; McDonald, Samuel.

Subs not used: Ehmer, Houghton, McGlashan, Osadebe, Dickenson, Wright, G Morris (gk).

Referee: Kevin Wright.

Town were forced to chase the ball for long periods, however, and they were indebted to Leutwiler.

He produced four first-half saves, before the well-deserved equaliser, and saw McDonald hit the post after the break.

As well as Leutwiler, who had to be man of the match for his first-half heroics, Anthony Gerrard was excellent at the back.

Mellon made one change to the line-up that beat Sheffield United 4-2 on Tuesday, with fit-again Nat Knight-Percival replacing Zak Whitbread, who suffered a hamstring injury, at centre-back.

Junior Brown kept his place at left back ahead of Mat Sadler, who was available again after suspension but failed to make the squad.

Town enjoyed a fortuitous lead, at a time when there was little to separate the teams after a pretty dull first half an hour.

But the Gills showed why they are second in the table by hitting back strongly to deservedly equalise before the break.

The first chance came in the sixth minute with a shot from the left boot of right back Ryan Jackson cutting inside, but it hit striker Dominic Samuel and the ball rolled to Leutwiler.

Town responded in the 12th minute when Nat Knight-Percival met Ian Black's free kick and his powerful free header spun well wide.

Salop threatened again on 20 when Scott Vernon glanced well over from Sullay Kaikai's free kick he won himself.

Kaikai was in the thick of it three minutes later, curling high and wide first time after Larnell Cole ran at the heart of the Gills' defence, taking on John Egan before teeing up the winger to his left.

Doug Loft forced the first save of the game on 28, with a curling 25-yarder that forced Leutwiler to scramble away to his left for a corner.

Then came the own goal, slightly against the run of play as Ian Black's free kick was nodded in off the post by Oshilaja ahead of James Collins.

Gillingham hit back strongly and Town had Leutwiler to thank for keeping them in the game.

First the Swiss custodian showed brilliant reflexes to smother a back heel by Samuel from point-blank range from Bradley Garmston's cross on 34.

Two minutes later, he made a fantastic double save to deny shots from Bradley Dack and Samuel, then he pushed away another long range effort from Loft.

But the equaliser Justin Edinburgh's side had been threatening finally came when McDonald took the ball off Dack in the box.

He knocked it past four Town players before tucking a low left foot drive inside Leutwiler's near post.

Town hit back with their first attempt on target, when Scott Vernon's looping header from Jermaine Grandison's deep cross was tipped over by goalkeeper Stuart Nelson.

Heavy rain and a fierce swirling wind greeted the teams as they returned for the second half, making conditions treacherous and reduced the prospect of flowing football.

But one player who continued to impress was left-back Garmston and his cross set up Samuel for the first opportunity of the second period on 53.

The on-loan Reading striker spun his man with his back to goal and chiselled out a shot that was palmed away by Leutwiler.

Town cleared a cross from the left but it was met by an unstoppable shot from Jackson that thundered into the top corner from a good 30 yards out.

But out of the blue - and at a time when they were struggling to get the ball out of their own half - Town snatched an equaliser.

And, just like their superb fourth goal at Bramall Lane on Tuesday, they produced another superb counter attack.

Grandison charged out of defence and finally found Kaikai, who fed Vernon to split the defence for Collins to calmly roll the ball under Nelson.

It was his seventh goal of the season and third in four games since taking the captain's armband.

The goal led to Town's best spell of the game as they enjoyed a good spell of possession for the first time.