Andy Cook came off the bench to score a late equaliser as the resilient Saddlers battled back from a goal down to draw with Barnsley.
The two teams started the day with identical records – and there was precious little to choose between them in an evenly-matched first half.
Barnsley’s Mamadou Thiam twice fired wide early on, while George Dobson and Josh Gordon fired off target for the visitors.
The only real clear-cut chance of the opening period fell to the Saddlers on 13 minutes.
Nicky Devlin burst forward down the right and crossed towards the unmarked Morgan Ferrier, whose header was acrobatically tipped over by Jack Walton.
His opposite number, Liam Roberts, was equal to Kieffer Moore’s curling 20-yard shot moments later, getting down low to his left to palm the ball away.
Roberts was called into action a couple more times before the break, first holding a George Moncur shot before pushing out an Ethan Pinnock header.
Walsall also had sights of goal; Dobson’s goalbound drive was superbly blocked and Connor Ronan – making his Saddlers league debut – twice tried his luck from distance, but to no avail.
Dean Keates’ men should have broken the deadlock shortly after the restart when Dobson’s out-swinging corner was headed back in by Josh Ginnelly and hooked over by Gordon from close range.
The Saddlers were left to rue that missed chance as Barnsley took the lead on 55 minutes.
Substitute Victor Adeboyejo’s near-post effort from a corner was blocked by Roberts, with the ball ricocheting off the unfortunate Jack Fitzwater and dribbling over the line.
It could have been 2-0 as Moore’s low cross was missed by Fitzwater but Thiam skied his effort wastefully over the bar.
Another big chance came and went for the hosts with 20 minutes remaining, Moore glancing a free header wide from a menacing left-wing cross.
Daniel Stendel’s side spurned another glorious opportunity to extend their advantage seven minutes later.
The Tykes broke four-on-one from a Walsall corner, with Moore squaring for Adeboyejo – who had to score – but Roberts saved with his chest.
The Saddlers should have made Barnsley pay for their profligacy with three minutes left as Kieron Morris’ deflected shot fell to Fitzwater, who drilled wide with the goal at his mercy.
But Walsall did find an equaliser just moments later as George Dobson teed up Cook, who stepped inside his man before firing under Walton.
There was still time for either side to find a winner – and the hosts very nearly found on as Moncur’s stoppage-time effort was brilliantly clawed away by Roberts.
Team (4-5-1): L Roberts; Devlin, Fitzwater, Guthrie, Leahy; Gordon (Morris 85’), Osbourne, Dobson, Ronan, Ginnelly (Cook 81’); Ferrier.
Subs not used: Dunn, Kouhyar, Sangha, Johnson, Wilson.