Despite the home side commanding the main share of possession in the early stages, it was the visitors who created the first chance when Jo Kuffour volleyed wildly over the bar in the 12th minute.
The Valiants had to wait until the 18th minute before they tested Clark Masters when Jeff Smith cut inside from the left and curled a testing shot that the goalkeeper had to tip over his crossbar.
The Bees almost got lucky when Kuffour found acres of space on the edge of the box in the 29th minute but his shot was charged down by Mark Goodlad with the follow up being put weakly wide.
Vale continued to launch an assault on the away goal with Ross Gardner taking a pot shot from 25 yards soon after but Masters was on hand again to deal with the threat.
The fixture was fast turning into a showcase for the goalkeepers as Goodlad was rushed into action again before half-time when John Mousinho hit an awkward shot that the Vale custodian was equal to.
Both sides let chances go begging soon after the restart when Stefan Moore and Simon Cox hit long-range efforts that failed to hit the target.
A quick free-kick in the 55th minute almost helped to break the deadlock when Danny Sonner threaded Danny Whitaker into the box for a shooting chance but his shot was deflected and saved by Masters.
But the Bees were dealt a cruel blow in the 87th minute when Sonner's neat lflick into the box found captain George Pilkington arriving with the required touch to send the ball into the back of the net.
Brentford narrowly avoided more misery as the game drew to a close when Leon Constantine's seemingly goalbound lob over Masters was superbly cleared off the line by Adam Griffiths.