Tomas Pekhart came off the bench to earn the Saints a point against Ipswich on Wednesday and the Czech Republic youngster came close to marking his full league debut with a goal after just six minutes.
Pekhart found himself unmarked inside the Barnsley penalty area from Bradley Wright Phillips' pass, but was stopped from getting a clean shot at goalkeeper Heinz Muller by Darren Moore's last-ditch sliding tackle.
Barnsley midfielder Anderson De Silva, playing his first game after six months out with knee trouble, had the visitors' first meaningful attempt on goal 12 minutes before the interval when he fired wide from 25 yards.
The Tykes had not scored away from home since the opening day of the season, but came close to ending that run in the 41st minute at the end of the best move of an uneventful first half.
Darren Moore picked out Kayode Odejayi with a long punt out of defence and the big striker showed brilliant chest control before setting up Iain Hume, whose shot into the ground bounced kindly into the arms of Kelvin Davis.
Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana brought the game to life with an acrobatic effort three minutes into the second half.
Captain Paul Wotton headed the ball into the six-yard box and Lallana showed great agility to perform an overhead kick, which fortunately for Barnsley Muller was in the right spot to catch.
Lallana carved out another chance for the home team on the hour mark when he whipped in a teasing right-wing cross, which David McGoldrick headed inches wide after climbing above Dennis Souza to win the ball.
Pekhart forced another good save from Muller, making his first appearance of the season, eight minutes from time when the German palmed away his angled right-foot shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Hume should have won the game for bottom club Barnsley against the run of play six minutes from time when he sprung Southampton's offside trap and rounded Davis, only to shoot into the sidenetting when presented with an open goal.