HARROW Borough boss David Howell has revealed that Championship leaders QPR are interested in taking in-form striker Troy Hewitt on a week-long trial.

Twenty-year-old Hewitt is enjoying a fine debut season since being signed by Howell from Ilford in August, scoring 14 times in 22 appearances, including a hat-trick in the memorable FA Cup win over Eastbourne Borough in October.

He was on target with another brace in Borough’s biggest win of the season, the 6-1 hammering of Canvey Island on Saturday, and Howell believes Hewitt’s performances this season have already proved he could deliver in League football.

“He could definitely play in the Championship, I knew that when I signed him,” said Howell. “They [Rangers] were interested in having a look at him before Christmas but the weather made it difficult. I told him to keep on scoring and the attention would come again after Christmas, and that’s what’s happened, so it’s all going to plan.

“It would probably be one week’s training, so it’s just down to them really.

“Troy been absolutely great for us this season, he’s got a really good attitude, and it’s down to us to keep him on the right path. He’s willing to learn, and he’s got the perfect mentor in [assistant manager] Ken Charlery.”

Hewitt has now found the net seven times in Harrow’s last 10 games, as Borough have stayed unbeaten since their 2-0 defeat to Chesterfield in the FA Cup on November 6, picking up 20 points from a possible 24 in the Ryman League Premier Division to move to within five points of the play-off spots.

Saturday’s win over Canvey was Harrow’s first home league match since November 13, during which time they have picked up nine points from nine on the road and, with three more away matches to come against Maidstone, Horsham and Folkestone, Howell believes his team’s impressive form away from home will be key in mounting a top-five challenge.

“Too often we’ve been the type of side which wins three or four games in a row, and then loses three or four. In the past we’ve found it difficult to find consistency,” admitted Howell.

“But this league has a funny way of turning on you just when you think you have it sussed – we know there are going to plenty of twists and turns yet, and we need to make sure that if we do lose we pick ourselves up and go on another run.

“We know the next three games are going to be difficult. In the last few weeks we’ve generally played teams above us, whereas the next three are against teams below us in the table, so it requires a different type of attitude.

“It’s a marathon season, this year more than ever with the number of games already frozen off. It was the same last year, but this season more games have been called off earlier.

“It’s certainly going to be a tough end to the season. Maybe an earlier start to the season would ease the situation – the Ryman League kicked off far later than everyone else, which didn’t make sense really.”