Gillingham ended their season with a win thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Garath McCleary.
Iwan Morgan hit the woodwork for visitors Shrewsbury in the first half, and former Gills striker John Marquis missed a sitter in the second, before McCleary won it in the 91st minute.
Gillingham’s final game of the season, on Saturday, was against a team starting a place below them in 19th. While there was drama elsewhere at either end of League Two, this game was a dead rubber.
The Gills had lost their three previous games heading into this one, conceding 12 goals in the process.
Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth hoped to at least send the fans home with a win in the final game of a disappointing season, which they did.
Ainsworth returned Sam Gale and Remeao Hutton to the starting line-up after their absence the previous week due to injury.
Seb Palmer-Houlden was back in the squad, but there was no room for striker Josh Andrews, who had ended his long goal drought the week before.
Gale has been named young player-of-the-year before kick off, but his afternoon ended early, limping off in the opening half.
It was an opening 45 minutes that had seen Shrewsbury look the more likely to score.
Gillingham’s only shot of the first half came early on when Robbie McKenzie’s low effort was comfortably collected by visiting keeper William Brook.
Josh Ruffels headed a good chance over for Shrewsbury before former Gills man Marquis had a shot saved by Glenn Morris.
The visitors went closer with a strike from Iwan Morgan, which crashed off the upright.
Ronan Hale had a shot blocked for the Gills early in the second half, but Shrewsbury had a golden chance to take the lead on the break, which they wasted.
Marquis broke forward, played in Sang who had a shot blocked, the ball was then played back to Marquis, with the whole goal to aim for, but he scuffed the chance over the bar from just a few yards out.
Hale had another goal attempt, which he thumped wide.
Ainsworth made a change upfront with 20 minutes left as Palmer-Houlden replaced Vokes, the former Welsh international striker getting a standing ovation and a guard of honour from his team-mates as he left the field.
Shrewsbury continued to have the best chances and continued be wasteful. Substitute Tommy McDermott bent a shot wide after being put in on goal with 15 minutes left.
Man-of-the-match Morris – playing his last game for the Gills – saved well at his near post to deny Bradley Ihionvien and the goalkeeper also helped a free-kick from Morgan go over the bar.
In the first of five minutes added on for stoppage time, McCleary ran in on goal after picking up a stray pass from Luca Hoole and from 25 yards curled home to snatch the points for the Gills, with only their second on-target effort of the game.
Morris ensured the Gills kept their lead intact by diving low to deny Shrewsbury with a late free-kick.
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Clark, Gale (J Williams 36mins), Masterson, Smith, Little, McKenzie, Dack (McCleary 65mins), Vokes, Hale. Subs not used: Turner, Palmer-Houlden, Akomeah, Khumbeni, Booth.
Shrewsbury: Brook, Boyle, Lloyd (Ihonvien 71mins), Sang, Perry, Morgan (Aiston 87mins), Lee (Hoole 71mins), Ruffels, Marquis (McDermott 71mins), Berkoe, Gray (England 71mins). Subs not used: Cox, Stubbs.
Referee: David Rock.
Attendance: 6,415 (541 away)
