Hard-working Barnsley stretched their unbeaten run under new manager Steve Parkin to nine matches with a point at Nottingham Forest.
The Tykes were battered for most of the 90 minutes but showed great character and resilience to come through their latest test.
But Forest will look back on a series of missed chances which cost them the chance of taking closer order with the First Division promotion pack.
Their most glaring goalscoring opportunity came in the 76th minute and fell to substitute Marlon Harewood, who had been on the field for only a minute.
The big striker flicked on a clearance, took a return ball from Andy Reid and left himself with only goalkeeper Kevin Miller to beat. But he dragged a right-foot shot wide of the post and could only look on in anguish.
To his credit, Harewood had brought Forest to life in the later stages after they had begun to look short of ideas in finding a way past Barnsley's defensive wall.
After his miss, Barnsley had just one more scare to survive when Forest's leading scorer Stern John had a header turned away by goalkeeper Miller.
Throughout the game Forest had enjoyed the greater possession and higher number of chances, starting with a David Johnson effort which flew wide of the near post after just 11 minutes.
Johnson had the best chance of all to break the deadlock in the 20th minute following a neat move which ended with a penetrating through ball from Eugene Bopp only for the forward to sidefoot over the bar.
Forest continued their domination of the opening period, and golden boy Jermaine Jenas headed over the bar from a cross by Matthieu Louis-Jean.
But Barnsley were a different proposition in the early stages of the second half and could easily have snatched a vital goal in that period.
The impressive Mike Sheron set up a chance for Bruce Dyer, but he prodded the opportunity just wide of the post with only Darren Ward to beat.
Kevin Donovan had another inviting opportunity following a mistake by Canadian full-back Jim Brennan. Donovan broke clear of the defender but saw his right-foot shot blocked by Ward.
Teams
Nottm Forest: Ward, Louis-Jean (Edds 45), Brennan, Hjelde,
Scimeca, Williams, Prutton, Jenas, Bopp (Reid 76), John,
Johnson (Harewood 76).
Subs Not Used: Roche, Vaughan.
Barnsley: Miller, Mulligan, Crooks, Morgan, Barker, Gary Jones,
Lumsdon, Barnard, Donovan, Dyer (Scothern 84), Sheron.
Subs Not Used: Marriott, Bertos, Ward, Regan.
Booked: Morgan.
Att: 18,190
Ref: T Parkes (Birmingham).
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