On an emotional night, neither side, despite no shortage of effort and opportunities could find a breakthrough and go into Friday's return with everything to play for.
Both sides had their chances, but there was little to choose between them and the closely fought nature of this contest suggested a long night is in prospect at the National Hockey Stadium in the second leg.
The Dons - who were beaten 2-1 at Gay Meadow in a stormy Easter Monday encounter last month, when they had six players booked and one sent off - played with far more composure and control than they did on that occasion and, with the long throw expertise of Jude Stirling, the player ordered off in the April meeting between these sides, they have a potent weapon, that could yet have a significant bearing on the outcome of this play-off.
It was through this route the Dons put the Shrewsbury defence under their most intense spells of pressure, with Jon-Paul McGovern and John Hayes both capitalising on the havoc created by Stirling's long throws only to see their first-half efforts blocked.
League Two's joint top scorer Izale McLeod saw an early goal-bound effort headed off the line by Shrews' full-back Marc Tierney, while at the other end a spectacular over-head kick by Derek Asamoah brought a fingertip save from Dons keeper Ademola Bankole.
After the break both sides pressed hard to gain an important first-leg advantage, but it was left to substitutes to almost force a winner - Bankole diverting away a stinging Michael Symes drive, while the visitors replied with a curling Leon Knight free-kick that was safely gathered by Scott Shearer in the Shrewsbury goal.
The teams meet again at the end of the week - but this was the final goodbye to Gay Meadow.