Radek Vitek made a late save to ensure Accrington Stanley held onto a point in the goalless clash with Grimsby at the Wham Stadium.
The Manchester United loan stopper denied Mariners captain Danny Rose in the second minute of added time.
The Reds are two points away from the Play-Off places and remain in 11th place in League Two.
Deadline day signing Jake Bickerstaff started up front for the Reds while goalkeeper Vitek made his Wham first start. Norwich loan defender Brad Hills was given the captain’s armband.
Against the Reds was former defender Harvey Rodgers.
Stanley started well with Mariners keeper Harvey Cartwright tipping over a Ben Woods strike in the second minute and a Jack Nolan blast not too far off.
At the other end, Manchester United loan stopper Vitek kept out an Arthur Gnahoua strike and the winger had another effort which was over the bar.
On the half hour mark, Nolan came close again with a low angled shot which was pushed away by Cartwright.
Just before half-time, Grimsby’s Gavan Holohan had a goalbound shot deflected just wide.
A Nolan cross just after half-time just needed a touch from either Bickerstaff and Josh Woods to force the ball over the line but neither could reach.
Tommy Leigh and Joe Pritchard, recovering from injury and illness respectively, came on in the 59th minute as Stanley looked for the opening goal.
Both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances with Rodgers heading wide for Grimsby as they built up a head of steam in the midway point of the second half, without seriously troubling Vitek.
Harry Clifton rifled a strike across the goal and wide in the 72nd minute while Kieran Green’s effort from a corner was just wide.
Substitute Green headed over in the 82nd minute and there was agony for the Reds when substitute Pritchard came off injured in the 90th minute.
Then came the late heroics from a Rose header as the spoils were shared.
Stanley: Vitek, Shipley, Hills, Gubbins, O’Brien, Henderson (Pritchard) (Rich-Baghuelou), B Woods (Conneely), Martin, Nolan, J Woods, Bickerstaff (Leigh)
Subs: McIntyre, Mellor, Quirk
Yellow: B Woods
Attendance: 2745 (688 from Grimsby)