Both sides demonstrated their attacking intentions from the start and, after barely three minutes, Gillingham's Nicky Southall was called upon to head Simon Hackney's shot off the line after goalkeeper Derek Stillie had fumbled Marc Bridge-Wilkinson's corner into his path.
Bridge-Wilkinson, so often a dictator in games, tried his luck on 24 minutes from distance but Stillie redeemed his earlier error with a fantastic one-handed save to deny the midfielder. That save appeared to galvanise the home side who improved thereafter and skipper Andrew Crofts came within inches of an opener in the 34th minute but saw his close-range header flash just wide from Southall's cross.
Minutes later, Adam Miller volleyed over from a decent position in the area with Carlisle goalkeeper Keiren Westwood rooted to the spot. Westwood was again helpless in the 57th minute when Simeon Jackson rifled an effort from 25 yards towards the Carlisle goal, but the crossbar came to the goalkeeper's rescue and denied the striker a stunning goal.
Gillingham continued to dominate, with Jackson posing the visiting defence a number of questions with his pace, while Carlisle's Danny Graham remained an isolated figure at the other end. After Graham was withdrawn through injury, Jackson had another chance to edge the Gills in front but fired over a decent chance from Miller's neat pass as the clock ticked down.
But Carlisle, keen to grab all three points following Doncaster's win on Friday night, continued to look for a winner themselves with both Grant Smith and Evan Horwood spurning good opportunities late on, before Bridge-Wilkinson volleyed over a final chance at the death.