It may have ended in a stalemate.

But an insight into why Boxing Day football remains part of the staple diet of English football was provided at Whaddon Road yesterday.

What a gripping top-of-the-table clash lacked in the tangible currency of goals was more than made up for by the other virtues which make the festive fixtures so popular.

A vibrant, high-tempo encounter ebbed-and flowed from one end to the other as the battle for supremacy remained on a knife-edge throughout, providing an entertaining follow-up to the festivities of the previous day.

And a generous ovation from all sides of the largest crowd of the season – 5,004 – at the home of the division’s big improvers acknowledged the efforts of both sides in a pulsating tussle.

Even allowing for a bout of handbags in the final minutes after Cheltenham took exception to what looked a genuine attempt from Terry Gornell to win the ball in a goalmouth scramble, this was a fine advert for League Two football.

And Shrewsbury will have been delighted to prove more a match for rivals who had won nine and drawn one of their previous 11 encounters.

In many ways, the final whistle resembled the closing bell of a boxing contest with a clear mutual respect shared by two combatants who had each piled every last ounce of energy into pursuit of victory.

And there were few arguments that a draw – which reduced the gap to one adrift of the automatic promotion berths – was a fair and fitting outcome.

Shrewsbury’s most threatening spell arrived in the concluding 30 minutes, during which they could reflect on the fine margins which often separate joy from despair.

A first time Mark Wright effort from an acute angle appeared destined for the bottom corner, only to drift agonisingly the wrong side of the target

Immediately prior to that, Marvin Morgan’s attempt to round the goalkeeper after being sent clear by a peach of a through ball from Matt Richards was blocked by Cheltenham shot-stopper Scott Brown, who was to also save twice from Wright and once from James Collins as the clock ticked down.

With Shrewsbury also striking the woodwork courtesy of a first half header from Ian Sharps after a Richards free-kick, it was the visitors who could justifiably lay claim to enjoying the clearer sightings of goal.

At the other end, a Town defence which has now notched seven clean sheets in the last 10 outings impressively soaked up the home side’s pressure.

The visitors largely restricted Cheltenham to long-range efforts, although that included a low piledriver from Luke Summerfield – son of former Town ace Kevin – which the impressive Chris Neal expertly parried around the post.

There was also an escape when Kaibd Mohammed fired wide from nine yards, but it all added up to a pleasing Boxing Day for Shrewsbury who, for the first time this season, avoided defeat on the road against a side above them in the table.

They can now head to Bradford on Saturday with spirits high and with the promotion spots – as well as Turner’s seven-from-nine point target from the Christmas and New Year programme – still in their sights.