Another way, perhaps even related to the code in OP: 
#!/usr/bin/perl
use Modern::Perl;
# 946284

my $ref = 7;

for (1 .. 8 ) {
    if ($ref == $_) {
        say "\$ref: $ref";   # adjust output to id source of match?
    } else {
        say "Tain't workin'";
    }
}

[download]

Seems to me this might be readily expansible to your larger goal as outlined in Re^2: Range Operator in If Statement

In reply to Re: Range Operator in If Statement by ww
in thread Range Operator in If Statement by mmartin

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