use Regexp::Wordy qw(:all);
if ('1998/10/08 [11:10]' =~ regexp(
    at_bol,
    clean('1998/10/08'),
    any_number(space),
    clean('['),
    remember(
        one_or_more(
            either(':', digit))),
    nondigit))
{
    print "Found a match at time $1\n";
}