The Yorkshire side came looking to avoid being beat, and although the Iron created plenty of chances in an open game lacked a cutting edge.
"They packed that area and we weren't cute enough to break them down, we were slopping in some of the passing and took too long to get into areas in which time they had got men behind the ball," said Baraclough.
"We've got to be a little bit cuter around the box. when we make chances we've got to make the goalkeeper work.
"It is disappointing in that respect, but a clean sheet. we looked solid and felt as though we weren't in trouble of losing the game, except possibly from a set-piece. "
Jonathan Forte had some of the Iron's best chances, including a first-half shot that came back off a bar. He is clearly feeling the pressure of being expected to be the side's main goal threat, and Baraclough revealed his attempts to lighten that burden.
"He's going to get frustrated, I said to him on Saturday [after 1-1 draw with Ipswich] that the more he gets uptight about it the more he starts thinking about chances," he added.
"The first one he stuck a post, a couple of inches and that could have gone in or in off the post. With the second the fella's dragged him back, the referee and linesman said they'd played advantage, but he was off-balance when he took the shot. He's anxious to score so stayed on his feet.
"If we keep creating the chances then something will drop for him. Goalscorers go through these periods, I'm not gong to have a got at him."
Mark Robins, the Barnsley manager, was relieved to leave with a point having lost their last two away games in the league.
"It's a good point, it's a clean sheet and a step forward. We didn't get anything here last year in the league so it's a point more than we got then," he said.
"We started off OK and passed the ball alright, then just conceded a bit of ground and stopped passing the ball.
"We know they [Scunthorpe] are a good side here. We know it is a difficult place to come and play and for us it was a step forward - both on Saturday and our performance here last year."