10.16.0.2 - - [19/Jan/2008:03:45:06 -0800] "GGG99994" 200 752 "-" "-" "10.16.0.2"

##</code><code>##

my ($method, $uri, $proto, @extra) = split /\s+/, $request;
die "Unexpected extra bits in request: @extra" if @extra > 0;
die "No method" unless defined $method;
# Or whatever other error-handling mechanism you want