With both strikeforces impotent and defences sturdy in Tuesday night's Championship clash at Glanford Park, the pair played out an entertaining draw that continues the Tykes' winless run on the road that stretches back to February.
The visitors, who were looking for a first win in 12 away games, had goalkeeper Luke Steele and the goal frame to thank for keeping the game goalless heading into the break.
Tempers threatened to fray in the second half as both sides became frustrated by the lack of end product, as play was reduced to set-pieces and audacious balls in an attempt to break the deadlock.
Both sets of players found new impetus as the clock ran down but neither could find the elusive winner, with Eddie Nolan scooping a shot just over in stoppage time for the Iron.
Scunthorpe headed into their third home game in six days with the same starting XI that held Ipswich to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
Barnsley boss Mark Robins, meanwhile, brought Goran Lovre, Jacob Butterfield, Luke Potter and Andy Gray into the Barnsley line-up at the expense of Jay McEveley, Hugo Colace, Garry O'Connor and Chris Wood.
On a mild and murky night in north Lincolnshire, neither side were able to boss an opening peppered by questionable player choices and inaccurate passing.
The first moment of note came after 16 minutes, when Josh Wright's long-range effort was palmed wide by goalkeeper Steele.
The shot seemed to spark the visitors into life and, after wasting several corners they came agonisingly close to scoring, although Jim O'Brien could not get his toe on the end of Adam Hammill's terrific left-wing cross.
The former Liverpool man came close himself minutes later, before Scunthorpe went up the opposite end and forced Steele into a smart save.
An Iron free-kick routine seemed botched but Wright laid the ball to Martyn Woolford, whose deflected shot was heading into the bottom left-hand corner until Steele parried.
Scunthorpe were chomping at the bit and Jonathan Forte twice came close to breaking the deadlock before half-time, first seeing his shot rebound off the post before blazing needlessly over minutes later.
The home side again came out strongly after the break, with Woolford having a shot deflected over and Rob Jones almost bundling home in the opening minutes.
However, the game descended into an end-to-end clash of wills, with neither team showing the ability or nous to break the deadlock.
Apart from Woolford's disallowed effort and Nolan's late rasping shot, the game petered into a forgettable affair that secured a point for both sides.
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