Gillingham made it a club record sixteen games without a win with a goalless draw against Shrewsbury Town in front of a sparse Priestfield.
The registered attendance suggests over 3000 were inside the ground, but the stark reality is there were far fewer to witness a drab affair in Medway.
With Vadaine Oliver unable to take his place in the squad as his partner was due to give birth, interim manager Steve Lovell opted to hand veteran striker John Akinde a rare start alongside Charlie Kelman.
Akinde incidentally is believed to be close to a move to Colchester United in the coming days.
It was Gills defender Robbie McKenzie that headed narrowly wide from Olly Lee’s corner after only 10 minutes and Dan Udoh shot off target for the visitors during an uneventful opening to the game.
Town midfielder Elliott Bennett was denied a spectacular opener by Gillingham loanee goalkeeper Pontus Dahlberg, who was at full-stretch to tip his curling free-kick around a post.
Striker John Akinde blazed over from close range following Kyle Dempsey’s cutback as the hosts wasted a rare opportunity nine minutes into the second half.
Home midfielder Dan Phillips then dragged a low shot into the side-netting before substitute Danny Lloyd crashed a speculative 35-yard free-kick against the woodwork six minutes from time.
This draw means that the managerless Kent side have now gone 13 games without a league win, sixteen in all competitions, setting a new club record and they sit nine points from safety.
With Oxford United to come to Priestfield on Saturday, who is in charge now feels largely irrelevant as Gillingham seem destined for League Two.
Gillingham: Dahlberg, Jackson, Tucker, Ehmer, McKenzie, Lee, Phillips (Lloyd 81), O’Keefe, Dempsey, Akinde (Dickson-Peters 58), Kelman.
Subs not used: Chapman, Tutonda, Bennett, Lintott, Sithole.
Booked: Lee (27), Ehmer (29), Phillips (78).
Shrewsbury Town: Marosi, Leahy, Ebanks-Landell, Pennington, Vela, Udoh, Bowman (Janneh 75), Ogbeta (Pierre 60), Davis, Bennett, Nurse (Fornah 76).
Subs not used: Burgoyne, Pyke, Bloxham, Daniels.
Booked: Leahy (91).
Referee: Brett Huxtable
Attendance: 3213 (140)