It looked so promising in the first half when both scored good goals and went close with other chances, but after the break chances were few and far between and both seemed to have settled for a draw long before the final whistle.
Hartlepool dominated most of the first half and should have been in front at the break but Barnsley produced a revival just before the break that earned them an equaliser and a couple of good chances.
Pool got a great start on nine minutes when Joel Porter flicked his shot into the roof of the net after Michael Nelson headed down a corner.
Nelson hit the bar with a shot after another corner and Chris Llewellyn's header was well saved by Barnsley keeper Nick Colgan.
But Barnsley got back into the game on 36 minutes when Antony Kay scored with a diving header after a cross from left-back Paul Heckingbottom.
Then it took good finger-tip saved from home keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos to keep out a Chris Shuker shot and another Kay header.
Home striker Adam Boyd should have given his side the lead on the hour when a Nelson shot from a corner found him in front of a gaping goal but he managed to send his effort wide.
But later Barnsley might have won it when Brian Howard's volley looked a winner all over until Konstantopoulos somehow managed to tip the shot over the bar for a corner.
In the final seconds Hartlepool might have won it when Darren Williams crossed for his namesake Eifion but his far-post shot was just wide.