Both sides are attempting to establish themselves as promotion candidates but on this showing they have work to do before either could be considered a strong bet for League One football next season.
Cheltenham just about shaded it over the 90 minutes but lacked the killer touch in attack that would have secured the additional two points for them.
Rovers got off to a dream start with a goal after only four minutes. The ball ran loose in the Cheltenham penalty area and Jamie Forrester was the first to react as the diminutive striker beat former Pirates keeper Shane Higgs with a well-placed 12-yard drive.
After that, Cheltenham took the game to their visitors for most of the first half. Grant McCann saw a 25-yard shot blocked by goalkeeper Kevin Miller and JJ Melligan headed fractionally over the crossbar from a cross by Martin Devaney, the one player in the home side who looked capable of unlocking the Rovers defence each time he got the ball.
At the other end, Higgs had to be alert to block a powerful effort by recalled Rovers striker Junior Agogo, but Cheltenham hauled themselves level ten minutes before half-time with a first Football League goal from youngster Gavin Caines.
The 21-year old central defender, making only his seventh league start for the Robins, rose at the far post to meet a free-kick from McCann and beat Miller with a downward header.
After the break it was all huff and puff with both sides showing glimpses of attractive football but the ball spending a lot of time in the air.
The better chances continued to fall to the home side with Shane Duff heading just over the crossbar from a corner kick and Jamie Victory going close with another header from Melligan's cross.
The closest thing to a winning goal came 15 minutes from the end when Cheltenham's Devaney sent Melligan away with a clever pass and his low driven cross almost reached substitute Damian Spencer, who was inches away from sealing the three points for his team.